Tonight I went to a church christmas party. I have no idea how many hours of work went into putting it together. It was obviously a labor of love because you couldn’t pay someone to work that hard. The walls were lined with mural sized scenery paintings and they’d constructed a train that kids could ride in. They even did a reading of The Polar Express complete with costumed actors.
That was the problem. I took my kids to a church function where they were told a powerful and beautiful story about believing in Santa Claus. Christ was not mentioned once in the entire evening.
I suddenly understand what it must be like for a non-religious person to be surrounded by christian assumptions. I don’t believe in Santa Claus. I don’t teach Santa Claus to my kids. We all have fun together pretending about Santa Claus sometimes, but we all know it is a pretend game. I’m never going to have to face a child who feels like the magic is gone from Christmas because they figured out the truth. I will never teach my children anything as truth that I don’t believe is true.
This puts my family at odds with 99% of American society. Santa Claus is pushed at my children in school, by friends, in stores, in books, in movies, just about everywhere. I’d have thought they’d be taught correctly at Church. To be fair, they are taught many wonderful and truthful things each Sunday. We come home feeling enriched and peaceful. Tonight I came home tired and empty. Howard was furious. (He wrote his own entry about it.)
The kids had a great time at the party. They don’t know how upset their parents were. There is no gain from us ranting and raving in front of them. Particularly when it could get back to the people who labored long, hard, and lovingly with the best intentions. But before bed I snuggled the kids together and we read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. That is a book with a wonderful message and no Santa Claus anywhere.
oh! I think I remember reading that when I was a weeyun – is it about how the pageant has the worst kids in town as Mary & Joseph and what they learned?
aw man, i’m now nostalgic and stuff
Personally, if you want a mix between commercialism and something that mentions what Christmas is actually ABOUT, I’d pick “A Charlie Brown Christmas” for the message. These days, Christmas isn’t really about religion – it’s about what Hallmark and other companies can find profitable in it. It’s messages and media spin, and sales and commercialism – not about a religion at all, and about as spiritual as April Fool’s Day.
And people wonder why I don’t get out much anymore. 😛 Having THIS shoved down my throat’s almost as bad for me as that party was for you – I’ll buy a few things I know will mean something to the people I give a damn about, or at least I’ll drag them out to dinner, rather than buy the ‘jewellery that you HAVE to get in order to show your affection’ or this year’s latest fad,
This year I’ve had a hard time trying to get into the Christmas spirit ’cause I’ve been so swamped with school and work, but after tomorrow I’m anxious to start playing with my kids and your post was a reminder of what we really need to talk about-why Christmas is more important than Santa. My son wants to share some of his old toys with kids who don’t have any, so I think we might take a trip to the homeless shelter with a box or too so he can learn what giving truly is. Merry Christmas!
I suddenly understand what it must be like for a non-religious person to be surrounded by christian assumptions. I don’t believe in Santa Claus.
I am blown away (in a fantastically good way) that this is one of the insights you drew from this. (I’ve read Howard’s frustrations already, so I know there’s lots to the story.)
Thank you.
I’ll second that. That’s a brilliant insight into the situation I often find myself in, and you are a really amazing person for seeing that, even beyond all your own (very justified) annoyance.
Thanks!
BTW, you aren’t alone in not doing the Santa Claus thing with your kids. My parents may have done the Santa thing a little, but by the time I came along, I had 3 older siblings who were more than happy to fill me in that “Santa” was Mom & Dad. So for years we’d have fun where every year I would tell them there is no Santa, and they would argue with me and say that there *is* a Santa, and we’d get into some lively debates about it.
That taught me a lot about critical thinking, debate tactics, how stubborn my parents can be when they find something amusing, and the difficulty of proving a negative. Finally this ended when my mother brought up the very nice compromise concept of Santa as an avatar of the joy we get from giving things to other people. This happened when I was about 13, and it really influenced how I feel about giving things to other people. Always makes me feel warm & fuzzy, I have to admit.
Anyway, I often got presents from “Galileo,” “Newton” and “Copernicus,” since even at a young age I was into science and astronomy. Needless to say, I could still recognize Mom’s handwriting in an instant.
You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve thought about all that. Thanks for letting me share some happy memories!
Thanks for sharing the memories! Getting presents from “Galileo” amuses me. I’ll have to store that one up in my parental bag of tricks. Maybe I’ll use it sometime.
The outsider sensation
I suddenly understand what it must be like for a non-religious person to be surrounded by christian assumptions. I don’t believe in Santa Claus.
This thought arose in both of us almost simultaneously. During the Polar Express play I leaned over to Sandra and said “I feel like a Jew at an Easter Pageant.”
She said “I was thinking exactly the same thing.”
–Howard