Families, communities, and nations are stronger when parents teach the true meaning of Christmas to their children. The reason that we celebrate Christmas is because God sent His Son to earth to redeem all humankind, and the Son overcame death for everyone. Easter is the reason that we celebrate Christmas. If Jesus Christ had not been resurrected and overcome death, we would not be celebrating His birthday. He would have been just another baby born to parents who loved Him.
I
believe that the whole business with Santa Clause is an important part of
Christmas. I remember searching to see Santa Clause out my bedroom window as a
child, and I almost convinced myself that I could see him in his sleigh being
pulled by reindeer. Santa Clause was an important part of my family while my
children were small, and he is an important part of the lives of my
grandchildren. However, my children understood, and my grandchildren are learning
the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. Wise parents will transition their
children from believing in Santa Clause to believing in the Spirit of Santa or
the Spirit of Christmas or the Spirit of Christ. All three spirits come from
God.
The
first gift of Christmas was love. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life” (John 3:16). Love is the foundation of Santa Clause, the
Spirit of Santa, and the Spirit of Christmas. It is important that parents
teach the true reason for the Christmas season.
There
is an opinion piece in The Guardian by a columnist named Polly Toynbee that
should frighten every Christian parent. Toynbee considers herself to be “culturally
Christian” because she is “so deeply imbued with its myths, paintings, hymns
and parables.” However, she believes that we should enjoy the good cheer that
comes with Christmas but understand that “it comes with religious baggage we
should shed.” Here are a few paragraphs from her article.
Here comes Christmas. It touches most
rationalists as much as believers, reaching deep into the recesses of heart,
childhood, memory and family bonds. I will watch A Christmas Carol every year
and, whatever production, Muppets or Alastair Sim, I will always shed a tear
for the prospect of human redemption. I will watch It’s a Wonderful Life for
its belief in collective good at Christmas overcoming the ogres of Pottersville
capitalism – never mind Clarence the angel.
In all Christmas messages, the poor
inherit the earth, the stable stands for the homeless and refugees, yet the
mystery is why so little of this goodwill gets beyond the tinsel into politics….
Every culture needs a mid-winter festival
of light in the darkness, a rebirth in the shortest days. Much as I dislike
most Christian belief, the iconography of star, stable, manger, kings and shepherds
to greet a new baby is a universal emblem of humanity. In that spirit I relish
singing the old carols when I get the chance….
Toynbee
wants to “enjoy the good cheer” of Christmas without knowing anything about the
reason that we celebrate Christmas. Wise parents will teach their children the
true reason that we have Christmas season. They will teach about Baby Jesus,
but they will also teach about the Resurrected Christ. They will teach that we
celebrate the birth of Christ because He is the resurrected Christ who made it
possible for all of us to be resurrected. Wise parents will use the Christmas
story to strengthen their family as well as their community and nation.
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