Who Santa Isn't

  Well, my Santa lie came back to bite me.  A little.  One of my kids asked me today, that if Rudolph wasn't real, why was Santa?  The answer came about as we read stories before bed.  We read,
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Little Drummer Boy
Charlie Brown's Christmas

 Now, I do have issues with the Grinch.  Mainly, that he Steals everything from the Who's, and there is no reprecution.  So, it's okay to steal, and not get into trouble?  Even after he brings everything back?  That's sure some forgiveness on the Who's part.  But, in the end, he gets it right.  Christmas, is not about Santa and gifts, ribbons and trappings.  It's about something greater.  Something the Who's rejoice in, despite the fact they wake up to empty houses.
   In the Drummer Boy-he is poor.  Leading the song are the Magi, which led to a side discussion of their story and Jesus' birth.  When we got to the part where he had no gift to bring, my kids pointed out that he played a song, that was a gift of Love.
  That story led to the Charlie Brown Christmas, because we had spoken of the angles appearing to the Magi.   Charlie Brown hates Christmas.  He hates the commercialism that has become it.  It's how I feel.  Christmas feel ruined, a lot the time.  Frankly, I didn't know why we decorated trees or hung garland.  Growing up,  I was told we gave gifts to celebrate Christ's birth, and to replicate the Magi giving gifts.  They stand by it to this day, and would never consider that Christmas was placed on a Pagan holiday.  No way. Anyhow, Linus goes on to explain that Christmas should be about Christ our Lord, peace and good tidings.  Charlie Brown eventually feels better, when his friends come around, as they help him.
   So, did the Santa question get answered?  Not exactly.  I never came out and said there was no guy in a red suit.  But we talked about what Christmas is about-Family and Love and celebrating Christ's birth, even though he was not born on Dec 25th.  About how people become sucked into buying things they do not need, and that it's better to give and help others, who do not have.
   I hope that my kids will have a stronger and better understanding of Christmas as they grow up, instead of being entrapped into the commercialism of it all.

Belief in Santa

  I believe in Santa.  Yes, that's right, I do.  To my defense, I've met the guy once.  No, he doesn't leave me gifts under the tree.  He leaves the Christmas Spirit.  That amazing gift of hope and peace.  Yes, I'm still talking of Santa.   I was Christmas shopping a few years ago, and out of the crowd there was this one man.  Looked like Santa to me, minus the red coat and hat.  Had this glow about him, this knowledge.  He told me that everything was going to be okay.
  Now, I suppose he could have been an angel.  He could have been a messenger of God, who looked like Santa.  When you look at the history of St Nicholas, perhaps the bishop had some of God's grace, and it was passed on?  Perhaps I had the flue and was hallucinating?  Or overtired from working two jobs.  Either way, I tell my kids Santa is real.  We read, "The Polar Express", tonight.  While I don't recommend children hopping on a train that stops in front of their house, the book ends with the child stating that as he got older, his friends and family stopped hearing the ringing of the bell, that he asked Santa for.  But he could always here it, and those that truly believed, still could.
  I don't so much believe that it is Santa he is referring, though that's a pretty magical thing for kids I think.  But I feel it's about the Christmas Spirit.  Because if you stop believing in hope, forgiveness, love and life, what is there?