Why Christ and Santa Both Fit in Christmas

Last week I knocked on my dad's door and walked in as we do almost every Sunday. This time, though, I heard Parker from inside say in his most excited voice, "It's Santa!!!" Unfortunately, it wasn't Santa. But I wondered, with children's focus on Santa at this time of year, how can we reconcile Santa and all his commercialism with the real reason for Christmas, the birth of the Savior.

I know, I know, Christmas is all about giving gifts, just as those who visited the manger bore gifts for the Christ Child.

I'm thinking, though, that Christmas is about children. Although we prepare gifts for our friends, family, and spouses, it's finding the perfect gift for a child that brings us the most joy. It's seeing the excited expressions on the faces of children when they visit Santa that we hope for. It's taking in the big smiles on the faces of children as they gather around the tree on Christmas morning to discover the gifts they have been given that makes getting up at 4 a.m. on Black Friday and all the other pre-Christmas shopping worthwhile.

There is something magical about children themselves that brings us a particular joy when we can make them happy. What is it that's particular about children?

There's a Christmas carol called "Mary Did You Know" that extols, "Mary did you know...that your baby boy...is Lord of all creation?" There's a line that says, "When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God."

I think this applies to all children. Of course, Jesus is the Christ, the God of this world, and that's what this carol is illustrating, but I believe that when children are born they have just left the presence of God and bring His special spirit. I couldn't help feeling this last Sunday when I saw KC Fisher holding his baby, and I just had to touch the baby's forehead. Someone asked if I did that for good luck. I said, "No, just hoping for some goodness to rub off." I can't help looking at a baby and wondering if he or she remembers heaven. Sometimes it seems babies do.

Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for such is the kingdom of God."

"And he commanded them that their little children should be brought...and Jesus stood in the midst...(and) he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground...and he himself knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father..."

Children are certainly held in high esteem by Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ. It's also about turning our focus to children, and returning some of the joy to them that they give to us as a gift every day of the year.