Me-rry Christmas

Me-rry Christmas

“Freely you have received; freely give.”—Matthew 10:8

It was my first Christmas as the new pastor at a church many years ago. The big question was, “Will the new pastor allow Santa Claus to come to our Christmas program this year?” The church had a tradition where Santa would give presents to all the children immediately after the Children’s Christmas program on the second Sunday evening of December. The program took place in the sanctuary and Santa usually sat front and center on the platform on a rocking chair.

I wrestled with whether to allow Santa to come at all, to have Santa give out the gifts in the fellowship hall in the church basement, or to change the setting in the sanctuary. This church had one of the largest children’s ministries I have been associated with and had been doing the Santa thing for over eighty years. As I type these words, I can hear the prophetic voices of many of my colleagues (if in fact any colleagues read this column) condemning the confusing message of Christmas we give to our children with Santa.

Unlike our culture today, where we make long wish lists and overspend and over decorate, the early church spent the time preparing for Christmas devoted to the spiritual disciplines of fasting and prayer. As Mike Slaughter, pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, notes:  “The Christmas feast was never intended to be a hedonistic self-focused orgy of materialistic gluttony…The earliest traditions of St. Nicolas, Santa’s predecessor, were about giving gifts to the poor--not receiving things yourself.” Slaughter challenges the Ginghamsburg congregation to fast from unnecessary spending, give homemade or simple gifts, and give an amount equal to what you spend on your own family to a needy family or a cause committed to furthering the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Many of us who profess the name of Jesus Christ have changed the meaning of Christmas to Me-rry Christmas rather than Merry Christmas. Everything focuses upon what I want, what I need, and how I feel. We definitely live in the me-first generation I challenge us to turn our hearts and gifts outward focusing on what we can give rather than what we may receive. The original message of St. Nicolas was directly inline with message of Jesus and the Gospel, “Freely you have received; freely give.” Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Santa Claus gives us the same message of giving rather than receiving.

What did I do about Santa Claus and the children’s Christmas program? I gave in and worked out a compromise. Moving Santa Clause down off the platform, we placed his rocking chair off to the left side of the sanctuary next to the piano. Santa wore his red suit and gave gifts of each child in attendance, but we continued to proclaim the true story of Christmas as the birthday of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. More importantly, we all tried to live the true message of St. Nicolas and Jesus Christ, Merry, not Me-rry, Christmas. “Feely, you have received; freely give.” is the true message of Christmas. Merry Christmas.