How to have a Wonderful Christmas without Santa Claus
Christmas time is always a special season of celebration for Christians around the world. The Christmas holiday is supposed to be a time when human beings reflect on and observe the birth of our Messiah Jesus Christ, but all too often people shift their focus to celebrating all things Santa Claus. It is a travesty that children are taught more about anticipating a mythical creature’s arrival on Christmas Eve than they are taught about the true value of Christmas. From my experience, there is a growing group of people including myself who are uncomfortable lying to the future generations by claiming that Santa exists. If adults are fully aware that Santa Claus is not true, then children deserve to know the truth as well!
There are many wonderful ways to enjoy Christmas sans Mr. Claus. Instead of making cookies for Santa’s fictitious trip down the chimney on Christmas Eve, you can spend time making cookies and casseroles with your child to give to those less fortunate during the holiday season like people staying in a homeless shelter. Perhaps someone has lost a loved one and needs cheering up during the holidays. Just by visiting someone who is grieving or making them a special gift to let them know that you and your family care about them will make everyone feel better, including yourself. Do you like to sing? If so, create a caroling group to celebrate Christmas by singing to your neighbors. Feel free to avoid singing carols about Santa if that is what you prefer! There are so many wonderful Christmas carols that have true meaning such as The First Noel, Away in a manger, Silent Night, We Three Kings and many more! Your neighbors will get a kick out of being serenaded during the most wonderful time of the year and you will enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame being a singing sensation.
Making hand made gifts like knitting scarves, creating Christmas ornaments to hang on the tree, picture frames, bookmarks and Christmas poems are other fun activities you can do as a family to bring a personal element of magic to your Christmas festivities. Sitting around the kitchen table sipping hot chocolate with your loved ones and reading inspirational stories of generosity and hope from sources like Chicken soup for the soul will create more long lasting and cherished holiday memories. Driving around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights is a fun holiday activity as well.
Children and adults deserve to know the real reason why Christmas is celebrated. Christmas is really supposed to be about compassion, giving, recognition of The King, and truth and love. Sometimes we get so bombarded by media messages about how to perceive holidays and how to celebrate them that we forget what they actually stand for. Instead of focusing on being thankful for The Lord’s birth, some people rush to the malls and endure long lineups in stores to buy gifts that “Santa” is supposed to be making in the North Pole for little Timmy in California! Santa Claus is not responsible for providing gifts to those less fortunate. Santa Claus has no magical powers to transform a person’s life and a fictitious character does not deserve to be praised by children or well-meaning adults. Only God knows if you have been naughty or nice- Santa has no clue because Santa Claus is not real. It is time for more people to stand up for what is right and refuse to take part in the Santa Claus deception. Let your loved ones know who really bought their Christmas gifts; you did and you worked hard to pay for them. But don’t stop there; make sure that the future generation knows what Christmas is truly about it and how to celebrate it with magic, truth and light.
