Santa’s Presents and Christ’s Presence
This Christmas will be the first that I will share the tradition of Santa as a Mom. First, because Sophie is now old enough to participate. First, because Cammie and Courtney’s father and I made a decision to teach them that Santa was a fun but make-believe part of Christmas. First, because this tradition is important to my husband and marriage includes compromise.
I thought I would struggle more with this concept. I knew long before Sophie was concieved that Joe wanted Christmas for his child to include Santa. And I had stronger convictions over another holiday largely due to a serious incident that happened to me when I was three. But that’s another holiday, another post. Perhaps I’ll share that next October. The point is that we compromised.
I prayed a lot over this issue. And I have peace regarding this decision. However, I don’t want to lose sight of the primary reasons we chose to exclude “Santa” from Cammie and Courtney. One reason being that our children are taught to believe in these beings—Santa Clause, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy—and then one by one, they learn they are not real after all. All the while we are teaching them to believe in Jesus, whom they cannot physically see. The difference, however, is that we have genuine relationships with Jesus. Introducing Him to Cammie and Courtney went beyond sight. He needs no one to stand proxy for Him at the mall. Hopefully His Presence in our lives will be undeniable to Sophie as well. If not, something is indeed wrong.
Another concern was and still is the message of “getting” overshadowing the reality of what Christmas really is. What about the kid down the road who can’t understand why he was denied that special gift that his friend and many others received? But life is full of disappointments, right? And the same thing can be said of birthdays. Still, it makes my heart ache.
Over commercializing and the “gimme” mindsets have come and gone in my household throughout the years. And Santa could not be blamed. Every year do we not ask ourselves the same questions? How do I keep the holiday stress from taking the joy out of Christmas?
The pressures are overwhelming. We so want to give to our children and YES, teach them that giving is indeed the meaning behind the reason for this season. The ultimate gift was sent from on High, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
After we were married, right away Joe and I decided to keep the girls’ gifts down to three as Jesus received three gifts from The Wise Men. Of course, they needn’t look for such costly gifts fit for a King. But then there are the stockings. So was it really just three gifts? Hmmm…
And my thoughts on Santa continued…he isn’t omnipresent! God is! He doesn’t “really” know their names. He’s supposed to. At least that’s how the story goes. But you plop a kid on his lap and it’s the first thing he asks them. Jesus knows their names. And why does Santa have to get credit for all of our hard work? Oh, I could go on and on but the point is clearly not condemnation over Santa.
Although the girls have made it clear what their expectations were for Sophie —”You ARE letting Sophie have Santa?”—they never appeared to be deprived or cheated. And as far as I know, I never had to worry about them “spilling the goods” to their friends and classmates. In fact, one of Courtney’s friends was quite angry when she found out the truth. Mostly with her mother, but also with Courtney who remained silent as she knew it was not her place to tell her. My sister, Jamie, found out the truth about The Easter Bunny when I was pregnant with Cammie. She was seven. She was not happy. “Why’d you say there was a rabbit if there isn’t a rabbit?” she asked my Mom. Most of all, she was perplexed. This weighed in on me as a woman with child.
So I was sure to share with my girls the Christmas story. Yet, I faced a moment once again with a perplexed child. Only this time, it was over the birthday Boy’s party. We often made birthday cakes for Jesus and sang Happy Birthday. One Christmas when Cammie was about three or four, she became quite upset when she realized that not only was the Guest of Honor not going to be present (at least not in the flesh), but neither were his friends. “Where’s Moses? Where’s all of His friends?”
And that’s what recently got me thinking. Where IS the Guest of Honor in all of our celebrating? Am I really including Him? With our without Santa, I’ve been guilty of getting caught up in the hype.
So now, as I find myself treading new territory and reflect on the sad condition of our world and the lack in the body of Christ, I want more than ever to move beyond the reality of my circumstances to the truth. This season will come and go. I want to give. I delight in giving my children gifts just as our Father delights in giving us His Kingdom. But if I neglect to share Him, it is all for naught. If I allow stress over the presents, I just might miss His Presence.
This Christmas I’ll step aside and allow the fat man in the red suit to take credit for granting the heart’s desires of my child.
But the main “Presence” I want to share… is Christ’s.
Truly all kinds of amazing tips.
Howdy! This blog post could not be written any better! Looking at this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
He continually kept preaching about this. I’ll forward this
post to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a good read. Thank you for
sharing!
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking
and checking back frequently!
I’ll right away snatch your rss feed as I can not to find your email subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service.
Do you have any? Please allow me understand in order that I may just subscribe.
Thanks.
Hello i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace,
when i read this post i thought i could also create comment due to
this good post.
https://roommx.com/
Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog
and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts.
Anyway I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement
you access consistently rapidly.
It’s appropriate time to make a few plans for the long run and
it’s time to be happy. I have learn this submit and if I could I
want to suggest you few fascinating issues or suggestions.
Perhaps you could write next articles relating to this article.
I want to learn more things about it!
I delight in, cause I found exactly what I used to be having a look for.
You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day.
Bye
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your blog.
You have some really great articles and I believe I would
be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load
off, I’d absolutely love to write some content for your blog
in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an email if interested.
Thank you!
Heya i’m for the primary time here. I came across this board and I in finding
It really helpful & it helped me out much. I’m hoping to provide one thing back and help others such as you helped me.
My brother suggested I might like this website.
He was totally right. This post actually made my day.
You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
always i used to read smaller posts that also clear their motive,
and that is also happening with this article
which I am reading now.
Introduction In today’s fast-paced world, many people struggle to find the time and motivation to stick to a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Also visit my web-site … http://pasen.chat/wiki/index.php/User:BuyBiolushKetoGummies
This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your wonderful post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!
Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
Wonderful work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the internet. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my web site . Thanks =)
My family members all the time say that I am wasting my time here at web, except
I know I am getting knowledge everyday by reading such nice posts.
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for giftcardmall/mygift
I have learn a few good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how a lot effort you set to make one of
these great informative website.
Great goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just too great. I really like what you have acquired here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it wise. I can’t wait to read much more from you. This is really a great website.
This is really attention-grabbing, You are a very skilled blogger.
I’ve joined your feed and sit up for in search of extra of your fantastic post.
Additionally, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks
When some one searches for his essential thing, thus he/she wants to be available
that in detail, thus that thing is maintained over here.
MeshTrac leads the field in providing comprehensive IoT solutions, offering a wide range of hardware devices such as BLE Beacons, LoRaWAN
Sensors, RFID Tags, and Wirepas Mesh Tags. Our products enable
seamless connectivity and data accuracy across diverse industries, empowering businesses to optimize operations and unlock
valuable insights. With a commitment to innovation and quality, we deliver scalable and reliable solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of
modern enterprises. Backed by advanced technology and a dedicated team,
we facilitate smarter decision-making and drive efficiency in today’s interconnected world
MeshTrac Solutions pioneers Real-Time Asset and People Tracking,
revolutionizing how businesses manage resources efficiently.
Our cutting-edge system offers precise location tracking,
empowering organizations to optimize operations, enhance security, and streamline workflows.
With robust technology and unmatched expertise, we deliver
tailored solutions to meet the dynamic demands of modern enterprises.
MeshTrac Solutions is a frontrunner in IoT Sensor Management,
leveraging LoRaWAN, BLE Beacon, and Wirepas Sensor technologies.
Our innovative solutions empower businesses to monitor
and manage assets seamlessly, ensuring real-time data insights for informed decision-making.
With a focus on scalability and reliability, we offer customizable platforms that streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and drive productivity across diverse industries.
Backed by cutting-edge technology and a dedicated team, we deliver end-to-end solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, propelling them
into the era of smart, connected environments.
I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
I am really loving the theme/design of your weblog. Do you ever run into any web browser compatibility issues? A small number of my blog visitors have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari. Do you have any tips to help fix this issue?