If you know me at all you know that most would consider me a radical. But, really, is there any other way to describe a Christ follower? I tend to reference this scripture a lot but it’s a great one to have memorized.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)
Do not be conformed. In other words, other people should be able to see that you, my dear, stand out from the rest. That there is something that sets you apart. Because you are set apart.
So let’s just get to it because I know this is going to ruffle quite a few feathers. Do I think that Santa is evil? Do I think you’re going to Hell if you celebrate Santa?
I guess my question to you is, why do you care what I think? I’m not stupid. I know the knee jerk reaction is to point right back at the author. But if you are convinced in what you are doing then that is between you and God. But my follow up question would be, how is celebrating Santa glorifying Christ?
And let’s be clear, I’m not speaking to the Christians-in-name-only. This post is going straight to the followers of Christ who are setting themselves aside to show Him greater. I’m speaking to those whose goal is to follow through that narrow gate.
I celebrated Santa for years. I remember swearing that I saw his lit up sleigh soaring over our neighbors house. I would clean my room in tears out of fear of him bypassing me. I would lay in bed imagining the reindeer hooves dancing upon our rooftop.
I celebrated Santa out of greed and out of fear. And from a completely atheistic heart.
Here is where I’m going to stand aside humble. I knew of Jesus. But to me, he was just an add on to Santa. Santa and gifts were the main reason of the season. Come on, nobody ever gets threatened by their parents that Jesus isn’t going to deliver them a Teddy Ruxpin if they don’t go to sleep. Right. Now.
So Jesus… I hate admitting this…to me he was born on Christmas. He died on Easter. I didn’t get the whole resurrected thing so to me it was birth date – death date. It took me years {until after I became a follower} to understand that Jesus lived for more than three months. Seriously. I wish I was kidding. But the only time I heard of Jesus was on Christmas and on Easter. That’s it. I didn’t know anything else about His life. And if Santa lives forever and the Easter bunny lives forever a three month fast aging Jesus makes since.
Stop judging me.
I just can’t bring Santa into our house. Do you need me to show you the church lady skit? I remember the fun of Santa. Believe me, I’ve been given an ear full and been told what a horrible mother I am for taking the joy out of Christmas. Of course, this is coming from the lukewarm among us. Our joy, though? It’s not in the gifts. It’s in the Gift. It’s rooted in the love of God. That He would sacrificially send His only son to pay for the sins that we would commit every. single. day. How many of us would put our child in prison for the crimes of a child molester, a murderer, a thief, a liar. I could go on and on. And Jesus wasn’t just put into prison, he’s was taken out and viciously murdered for you and you and you…
We are all sinners. And what do we do to say thank you for paying our debt that we could never pay on our own? We celebrate an imaginary glutton who spies on us and we lie to our children all in the name of ‘fun.’
Even if you go to church every Sunday, you do family devotionals every night, you read your Bible every morning, why would you feel the need to replace a celebration of Christ with a make believe character? Is Christ not enough? By adding to Christmas, you’re actually taking away.
Santa can not be redeemed. When you remove the focus from Jesus and say, no, Santa is better. There is no redeeming that.
Listen, this takes time to process. It took me years to get the courage to say, “no. no more.”
Just, please don’t lie to your children. Don’t lie to them to frighten them into submitting before you. Don’t teach them that greed is above all. You’re walking them down a very treacherous path. Pray and read the Bible. Do not make Santa an idol for your children. They’re better than that. And Jesus is better than any gift Santa will ever {not} put under the tree. Jesus is the gift of eternal salvation. What your children receive under the tree will rot away some day. It will be thrown into a junk yard and will turn to dust. But that’s not what Christ offers us.
Blessings!
