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Reason For
The Season
Just last Monday night I had a strange visitor. This
is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores for the
night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the
front of the house. I opened the door of the front room, and to my
surprise, Santa Claus himself stepping out from behind the Christmas
Tree. He placed his fingers over his lips so I wouldn't cry out.
"What are you doing here..." I started to ask, but the words choked
up in my throat as I saw that he had tears in his eyes. His usual
jolly manner is gone ~ gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all
know. As I stood there in my night shirt bewildered, Santa said,
"Teach The Children." My perplexed expression still showed in the
near darkness. "Teach them the old meaning of Christmas ~ the
meanings that Christmas nowadays has forgotten." "Teach the
Children, the star was a heavenly sign of promise long ages ago. God
promised a Savior for the world and a sign of the fulfillment of
that promise was the great star of the East. The star now reminds us
of God's love for mankind and of God fulfilling His promise. The
countless shining stars at night ~ one for each man ~ now show the
burning hope of all mankind." Santa gently laid the star upon the
fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red
Christmas ornament. "Teach the Children, red is the first color of
Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them
of the blood which was shed for all people by the Savior. Christ
gave his life and shed his blood that every man might have God's
gift to all, eternal life. Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the
greatest color of all. It is the symbol of the gift of God." As
Santa was twisting and pulling another object out of his bag, I
heard the kitchen clock begin to strike twelve. I wanted to say
something, but he went right on. "Teach the Children", he said as
the twisting and pulling suddenly dislodged a small Christmas tree
from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and
gently hung the red ornament on the big Christmas tree. The deep
green of the fir tree was perfect background for the ornament. Here
was the second color of Christmas. "The pure color of the stately
fir tree remains green all year round," he said. "This depicts the
everlasting hope of mankind. Green is the youthful, hopeful,
abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward ~
symbolic of man's returning thoughts toward heaven. The great, green
tree has been man's best friend. It has sheltered him, warmed him,
made beauty for him, formed his furniture." Santa's eyes were
beginning to twinkle now as he stood there. Suddenly I heard a soft
tinkling sound. As it grew louder, it seemed like the sound of long
ago. "Teach the Children, that as the lost sheep are found by sounds
of the bell, so should it ring for men to return to the fold; it
means guidance and return; it further signifies that all are
precious in the eyes of the Lord." As the soft sound of the bell
faced into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the
mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast an eerie glow
about the darkened room. Odd shapes in the shadow slowly danced and
weaved upon the walls. "Teach the Children," whispered Santa, "that
the candle shows man's thanks for the star of long ago. It's small
light is the mirror of starlight. At first candles were placed on
the Christmas Tree ~ they were like many glowing stars shining
against the dark green. Safety now has removed the candles from the
tree and the colored lights have taken over in the remembrance."
Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift
from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow ribbon and said, "A
bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the
brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men
should be tied ~ all of us together, with the bonds of good will
toward each other. Goodwill forever is the message of the bow." Now
I wondered what else Santa had in his bag. Instead of reaching in
his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and began to reach up on the
Christmas tree. I thought he was hungry as he reached for a candy
cane, purposely placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and
reached out toward me with it. "Teach the Children that the candy
cane represents the shepherds crook. The crook on the staff helps
bring back the strayed sheep to the fold. The candy cane represents
the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy is the
symbol that we are our brother's keeper." Santa then paused. He
seemed to realize he should be on his way. Later would be his big
day. As he looked about the room, a feeling of satisfaction showed
in his face. He read wonderment in his eyes and I am sure he sensed
my admiration on this night. He was his old self as he approached
the front door. The twinkle in his eye gave Santa away; I knew he
wasn't through yet. He reached into his bag and brought forth a
large holly wreath. He placed it on the fireplace and said, "Please
Teach the Children the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love;
it never ceases, stops or ends. It is one continuous round of
affection. The wreath does double duty. It is made of many things
and in many colors. It reminds us all of the things of Christmas.
Please Teach the Children."
I pondered and wondered and thrilled
with delight,
As I saw and viewed all those symbols that
night.
I dozed as I sat in the soft candle light,
And my
thoughts were of Santa and all he made right.
To give and to
help, to love and to serve,
Are the best things of life, all men
can deserve.
Old Santa Claus that jolly fat little elf,
Is the
very best symbol of Christmas itself.
He's the sign of the gift
of love and of life,
The ending of evil, the ceasing of
strife.
His message to me on the pre-Christmas night,
Has
opened a treasure of deepest insight.
The one thing on earth we
all ought to do,
Is the teaching of children the right and the
true.
Story of
Christmas
Joseph tried to find a place that he and
Mary could stay in for the night, but the inn had no room for them.
Finally, Joseph took Mary to a stable because the baby was coming.
There she gave birth to a child. She and Joseph named their newborn
son Jesus, just as the angels had told them. Mary wrapped her baby
in wide strips of cloth she had brought from home. She gently laid
Jesus in an empty manger, a place where the animals ate. Joseph and
Mary were very happy. That same night some shepherds were guarding
their sheep out on the hillsides near Bethlehem. All at once they
saw an angel from God in the sky. Great light flashed down around
them and they were very afraid. But the angel said to them, "Do not
be afraid. I am bringing you wonderful news. This very night a
Savior was born for you and your people. He is Christ the Lord. Go
and see him. You will find him in a stable lying in a manger."
Suddenly the sky was full of angels who joined together to sing
praises to God. "Glory to God in heaven and peace on earth to
everyone who pleases God."
Santa
Claus
Santa Claus
- A legendary figure who supposedly brings presents to children on
Christmas Eve. Santa Claus is an American adaptation of European
traditions concerning Saint Nicholas. These were introduced into
America by the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam. The name Santa Claus
is a contraction of the Dutch Sint Nilolaas (Sinter Klaas). In the
United States, Saint Nicholas became associated with Christmas
rather than December 6, his traditional feast day, and he developed
into a purely secular figure.
Most of the central features of the
Santa Claus legend, such as his climb down the chimney and the
switches he leaves for naughty children, are of Dutch origin. His
red suit trimmed with white fur originted in the bishop's miter and
cape worn by the Dutch saint. His association with reindeer and the
North Pole, however, apparently came from Scandinavia. These and
other attributes of Santa Claus were popularized during the 19th
century through the stories of Washington Irving, the cartoons of
Thomas Nast, and the famous 1822 poem by Clement Moore, "A Visit
from Saint Nicholas."
Male and female European counterparts of
Santa Claus include the English Father Christmas, the German Kris
Kringle, the Italian Befana, and Russia's grandmotherly Babouschka.
He is also known as Father Christmas in England, Grandfather Frost
in Russia, Pere Noel in France and Saint Nick in the United States.
Many of them have been influenced by the American conception of the
figure. I can remember growing up and believing in this jolly old
guy! I was the oldest in the family so when it came time for me to
fess up and tell my parents that...well ~ you know! I had to pretend
because my brothers and sisters still believed. It's always hard to
fess up when you are growing up because then you think...hum ~ if I
tell my parents, I won't get any gifts anymore. Well, that turned
out to be false. I still got wonderful gifts that I knew were
special. You see my father worked 3 jobs to support six children. He
worked hard for all of us to make sure we got what we needed to get
a good education. I knew how hard he worked, so each gift I received
meant more to me than it would for most children. Like most
children, we left cookies and milk for Santa. One year I even left
an autograph book. He actually signed my book! We had wonderful
Family Traditional Christmases. We still do, even though we are now
grown with children and grandchildren of our own.
The Legend
of the Poinsettia
The legend
of the plant we now associate so strongly with Christmas arose years
ago in Mexico, where it was traditional to leave gifts on the altar
for Jesus on Christmas Eve. As the story goes, among a group of
worshipers one night was a poor boy who had no present. Upset by his
inability to provide a gift, the boy knelt outside the church window
and prayed. In the spot where he knelt there sprung a beautiful
plant of vibrant red leaves. In Mexico, this plant is called "the
flower of the Holy Night."
A Christmas
Chronology
1510 A
decorated Christmas tree recorded at Riga, Latvia.
1610 Tinsel
invented in Germany.
ca. 1660 Record of a tree lit with candles
in Germany.
ca. 1800 Tree ornaments being manufactured in
Europe
1819 Popular sketch by Krimmel released depicting an
American family with a Christmas tree on the table.
1822 German
merchants living in England have decorated trees in their
homes.
1822 Clement Moore, an American, writes A Visit From Saint
Nicholas for his family (now known as Twas the Night Before
Christmas)-published in 1848
1833 Red poinsettias sold in
Philadelphia.
1841 Christmas crackers being manufactured in
England.
1843 Charles Dickens writes A Christmas Carol.
1846
Illustration London News publishes a picture of the Royal Family
gathered around a Christmas tree. The picture helps popularize the
table top Christmas tree.
1880 German glass ornaments sold in
Woolworth's.
1882 First electric Christmas tree lights sold in
New York.
1892 Wire hook for hanging tree ornaments is patented
in the United States.
1896 The T. Eaton Company produces its
first Christmas catalogue.
1905 Santa Claus arrives by wagon at
the T. Eaton Company store in Toronto.
1917 J.C. Hall (of
Hallmark) imported fancy decorated envelope linings from France to
sell as "gift dressing".
1923 Pink poinsettias produced.
1939
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer created by Robert May for an American
department store as a Christmas promotion.
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