Families, communities, and nations are strengthened
when parents and other adults teach the truth about why we celebrate Christmas
and the stories behind the various principles contained in our
celebration. Children will not know or
understand these important principles unless we teach them; therefore, they may
not consider it important to pass these principles to future generations.
One suggestion for teaching the true meaning of
Christmas to children is to use the following story. It teaches the important principles about
Christmas in a fun and interesting way.
I found numerous sites with this wonderful Christmas story. The author of the original story is
unknown. I like this version but have
taken the liberty to correct spelling and grammar to help it flow easier. It is entitled "Teach the Children theTrue Meaning of Christmas."
One December night, many years ago, I had just
finished decorating for Christmas when I heard a noise at the front of the
house. I turned on the porch light and
opened the door. To my surprise, just as
I stepped outside I saw Santa Claus climbing out of his sleigh. He placed his fingers over his lips,
silencing me before I cried out.
"What are you doing…" I started to ask
… but the words choked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner, the eager, boisterous
soul we all know, was gone. He composed
himself by clearing his throat and then answered me in a whisper: "Help teach the children."
I was puzzled.
What did he mean? He anticipated
my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from
behind the sleigh. As I stood there
bewildered, Santa stated again but more firmly, "Teach the children. Teach them the true meaning of Christmas -
the meaning that has long been forgotten."
I invited him in to warm by the fire as I tried
to tell him that I wasn't sure if I knew what he meant… when Santa reached into
the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star. "Teach the
children that the star is the heavenly sign of promise," he said. "God sent a Savior to the world and the
star was the sign of that promise being fulfilled. The countless shining stars in the heavens,
one star for each person on earth, represent the hope of all mankind."
Santa gently laid the star on the fireplace
mantle and brought a bright red
Christmas tree ornament from the bag.
"Teach the children; tell them that red is the first color of
Christmas. It was first used by the
faithful people to remind them of the blood that was shed for all the people by
the Savior. Christ gave His life and
shed His blood that every man might have God's gift of Eternal Life. Red is deep, intense, and vivid -- the richest
color of all, and it is a symbol of the greatest gift from God."
Santa said, "Teach the children" as he
pulled a small Christmas tree from
the bottom of the toy bag. He placed it
near the fireplace and gentle hung the red decoration on it. He continued, "The deep green branches
of this tree are a perfect background for this ornament. This is the second color of Christmas. The pure green color of this evergreen tree
remains this color all year round. This
represents the everlasting plan for mankind.
Green is youthful, hopeful, and the abundant color of nature. The needles of the tree point heavenward --
symbols of man's prayers as they go toward heaven. Trees have been man's best friends. They have
sheltered him, warmed him, and made beauty for him."
Again, Santa pulled something from his bag, and I
heard a soft tinkling sound of a bell. "Teach the children," he said,
"that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring
for every person too, that they might find their way back. It means guidance and return. It further signifies that all are precious in
the eyes of the Lord."
As the soft sound of the bell faded, Santa lit a candle and placed it on the
mantel. The soft glow from its tiny
flame cast a glow about the darkened room.
Odd shadowy shapes slowly danced and wove pictures upon the walls. "Teach the children," whispered
Santa, "that at one time candles were placed on Christmas trees. They glowed brightly against the dark green
branches showing man's appreciation for the star of Bethlehem
Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on
and placed a gift under the
tree. He pointed to the bow and said,
"A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of brotherhood of
man. We should remember that the bow is
tied as all of us should be tied together, with the bonds of good will toward
each other. Good will forever is the
message of the bow and the gift, a gift of love."
Santa reached for a candy cane and held it out towards me. "Teach the children that the cane
represents The Shepherd's staff. The
crook on the staff helps bring back sheep that have strayed away from the
fold. The candy cane represents the
sweetness of giving, not only at Christmas time, but also throughout the entire
year. The spiral design is a symbol that
we are indeed our brother's keepers."
Santa looked about the room and then again at the
tree. His love and great feeling of
satisfaction shone from his eyes. He
could not help but sense the wonderment and admiration that I felt for him in
my heart.
One last time, Santa reached into his bag and
brought forth a large beautiful wreath. As he placed it on the door he spoke gently
with love, "Please teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the
eternal nature of love: it never ceases,
stops, or ends. It is one continuous
circle that only grows greater and greater when expressed. The wreath, the circle of love, plays a
double role. It is made of many things
and has many colors. It reminds us of
God's unconditional love and the true reason for Christmas. Please teach the children."
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