Image Source: Wikimedia Commons - click for source.

Halfway through my little mini-series here and I’m hoping that I’m not pushing all of my friends away. I don’t want to come across as though I think everyone else should do things the way I do them. As I said in the beginning, my only goal here is writing down why I choose what I choose. As I mentioned, though most of the response I get when I tell people that we “Fired Santa” is positive, there are some people who look at me like I just grew a second head. The thought that my kids won’t get to have Santa baffles them. And they give many reasons why we *should* do Santa. None of these reasons resonate with me, however, and they pale in comparison (to me) to the reasons we’ve chosen *not* to do Santa. You can read my response to the first argument of “But it’s FUN!” and the second argument “Because Santa is based on Saint Nicholas.” Now I’m going to address the third argument I hear…

Reason #3: “It’s tradition! It’s the way *I* grew up doing it and I turned out just fine.”

Yes. I’m sure that you *did* turn out just fine. I grew up doing it and I like to think that *I* did. ; ) But wouldn’t you agree that just because our parents did something, we don’t necessarily have to do it that way? I mean, think about all the things you grew up saying you were going to do differently. Maybe you still did some of them the same. But I’m willing to bet there are some ways that you parent differently.. and you know what? That’s okay. It really is. We don’t *have* to do things the way our parents and their parents did them. Sometimes change is good (sometimes it’s bad) we just have to weigh out each scenario.

But here’s the other thing, the more important thing: Santa Clause is really a very recent tradition when you think about it. Yes, Saint Nicholas lived a very LONG time ago. And honoring Saint Nicholas has been around a very LONG time. But Santa Claus as we know him today began taking shape around the beginning of the 1800′s and by 1930 he was the Santa we all recognize and celebrate. He’s barely been around a hundred years. And in the grand scheme of things, that’s really not very long.

Often when we say “it’s always been done that way” what we really mean is that it’s been done that way “as long as I can remember” or “for several generations.” But it’s not “always.” We tend to over generalize things. Don’t you agree? Seeing as how Santa is really a very recent tradition, and seeing as how Saint Nicholas is a much older one, it seems to me that it should be a very simple matter of letting people take it or leave it and choose Saint Nicholas over Santa if they want to, without much argument.

Speaking of Christmas traditions that have changed… there have been many traditions in Christmas’ past, many of which we no longer do today. We no longer put real candles on trees, or decorate trees with food, or celebrate Christmas with a  city-wide drunken carnival (as it was celebrated during the Middle Ages.) Times change. Traditions change.

Now we’ve got some new additions to Christmas lore. Much of what we “know” about Christmas is a direct result of one thing: television. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939, he was created for a Montgomery Ward’s advertisement (yes, advertisement – surprised?) His fame was cemented by the classic movie that came out in the 60′s. Frosty the Snowman became famous first with the song (in the 50′s) and then with his own movie in the 60′s. Since then there have been many more Christmas songs and movies which have added to the story, the lore, the tradition. Traditions continue to change.

My point here is that it’s okay to change traditions, it’s okay to pick and choose. We do with everything else. And as Christians we SHOULD be in this world but not of it, we SHOULD look a little weird, we SHOULD be choosing our traditions carefully.. if people look at us like we’re weird because we’re not doing the same things, isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? Now I’m not knocking those Christians who still do Santa.. I’m just standing up to defend the ones who don’t and get labeled as “weird.” Don’t fret. Standing out and looking weird is okay. Okay?

I just wanted to wrap up that even though we don’t “do” Santa here, we still watch movies. We have many favorites. Because for us, we’re not making Santa real… but he’s perfectly welcome as a tv character the same as Rudolph, Frosty, etc. Fiction, for me, needs to stay fiction, and then we’re fine. You might be surprised to learn that one of my favorite Christmas movies is actually Polar Express. It’s such a good movie. But my favorite line of all, you probably won’t be surprised to learn, is at the end where Santa says, “This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit ofChristmas - as am I.”

Yes, Santa is a SYMBOL of Christmas (albeit the secular, American Christmas.) And as long as Santa stays a symbol for me then Santa and I are good. But just because the tradition of making Santa Claus real to kids has been around for the past hundred years, it doesn’t mean that’s necessarily how it has to be done. I’d like to choose traditions that are older, better for us, and make some new ones of our own. I know some people think I’m a follower of some kind for choosing not to do it. I must be following SOMETHING or SOMEBODY. Truth is, I’m not. I’m bucking tradition and that’s what makes waves and I get that. But “to each his own” as the saying goes, because truth is.. we all pick and choose tradition to some extent anyway.

Tomorrow I’ll finish off this little mini series and then I’ll be taking a break for the holidays. I hope your holidays are shaping up well. If you have some extra time, here’s some extra reading for you. God bless!

• Of Kids and Christmas (LOVE THIS.)
• Permission to Breathe (Just thought this might be appropriate 3 days before Christmas.) = )

Image From Wikimedia Commons - Click for source

Yesterday I started a short series examining the arguments I frequently hear when I tell someone that we don’t do Santa, beginning with the biggest one, “Because it’s FUN.” Today I’m continuing with the second biggest reason I’m given:

Reason #2: Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas.

Ever. So. Loosely.

I’ve written about how Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus before. The short story is that legend of the Turkish priest spread throughout Europe, which was brought to America by the Vikings, and the Dutch and Spanish settlers. Since then, the printing press and the television have given us “Santa Claus” as we know him today, giving him an elfish appearance, reindeer and elf helpers. The only thing that Santa still has in common with Saint Nicholas is giving gifts to kids but even then, there’s a difference. I can’t speak for Saint Nicholas, obviously, but what he stood for and what Santa stands for are so vastly different, I don’t think Saint Nicholas would like to be compared to him at all.

Bear with me a second.  Hear me out.

Santa preaches bribery and then unmerited reward. He says “be good or you’ll get a lump of coal.” But then he brings presents anyway. Kids know this. Kids know they’re going to get a present from Santa whether they’re good or not. In the moment, the empty threat may encourage them to obey but deep down inside they KNOW they’re getting a present. And on Christmas Day they KNOW they weren’t always good, but they got a gift anyway.

Santa often brings extravagant or frivolous toys. Extra things, things we don’t need, things that are over the top or out of our budget but we scrape for it anyway. Santa’s presence, his extravagant gift giving, the practice of writing letters and creating abundant wishlists, these things breed and encourage an attitude of “getting” – greed, gluttony and coveting. It’s hard for kids, and even adults, to separate these things from Christmas when Santa is involved.

By contrast, Saint Nicholas didn’t give empty threats or bribery. Saint Nicholas gave to THOSE IN NEED. He saw needs, he met them. And why? Because Jesus loved the people, so Saint Nicholas loved the people. Saint Nicholas also gave THINGS THEY NEEDED. Need shoes? Here you go. A dowry? Here’s some money for that. Need some food? No problem. And Saint Nicholas gave and gave and gave. He was born monetarily wealthy, and he died monetarily poor, but rich in love. Because Saint Nicholas loved God so much, he gave all he had.

I’m not against getting gifts, or toys, or even some nice things. But I find an attitude of Giving and Thanksgiving have trouble thriving in Santa’s presence. Santa doesn’t preach “give to others.” He bellows, “what do YOU want for Christmas, little boy?” And most definitely we can give and meet needs and serve others without Santa’s help.

One of the things that we’ve changed around here since cutting out Santa is changing what goes in the Christmas stocking – a tradition we chose to keep because those actually DO tie back into the story of Saint Nicholas. Following in Saint Nicholas’ tradition, the stocking is used to give fun but mostly necessary items. A new compact mirror, a hairbrush set, fun ponytail holders, gum, a new belt, character socks, chap stick, a watch, and so on. There’s probably going to be a hot wheel car or a my little pony type small thing in there, too. But most of it will be useful, needed and fun. The kids still enjoy seeing what’s inside their stockings (even though the girls joke they get a new hairbrush in their stocking every Christmas.) (Shh… not this year, they’re not!) =p

Another tradition I’ve been pondering is the whole tradition of making a wishlist. In an effort to keep the kids from going overboard, I’ve always encouraged them to keep their lists short and not too expensive.  As a result they usually receive almost everything on it, and exactly what they wanted. Everybody’s happy, but I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be better if they DIDN’T get everything they asked for, if there were some things they got they didn’t ask for that they liked, if there was more of an element of surprise and less of a certainty that they were going to get what they wanted. I dunno… I’m just thinking out loud and haven’t really come up with any answers on that one yet. I’d be interested to know what you think.

For a long time, the “fact” that Santa Claus was based on Saint Nicholas made me indecisive about cutting Santa out of our tradition. But studying the history and learning more about the truth of how Saint Nicholas became Santa, seeing the notable differences between the two, freed me up to let Santa go without any guilt or ill feelings. I’m not ditching Saint Nicholas, I’m letting go of a tradition that no longer resembles Saint Nicholas at all. It’s the huge crevasse of difference between what Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas stand for that leads me to say that for me, the “Santa is based on Saint Nicholas” argument bears no weight with me at all.

I understand that most people really do think Santa Claus is okay because he’s based on Saint Nicholas, and that they don’t know enough about Saint Nicholas to see the differences. Parents genuinely want to do right by their kids and they want them to have the best Christmas experience they can. This is why I hear this argument so much. I fully acknowledge their right to do Santa if they want to. But for us, it’s not a good enough reason to “do it anyway” and so I choose to abstain.  I’ll write about the next reason in another post, but for now I want to leave you with some good reading to enjoy. God Bless!

• Santa-Jesus (while most people talk about how Santa is not like Jesus, my friend Kristi tackles how JESUS is not like SANTA.)
• Why Jesus is infinitely better than Santa Claus.
• Santa Vs. Jesus (I love her list of things she wants her kids to know about Christmas.)
• Kids, Jesus, and Santa: Do you tell the truth? (I fully agree with his perspective on honesty, I want my kids to know that we’ll always tell the truth!)

What do candle votives, a metal tray, a can of blue spray paint, some clothes pins and a permanent marker have in common? Advent!

Well, it does at MY house. ; )

Every year we create our own little set up for an Advent candle wreath and calendar. This year I thought about actually buying an Advent Candle wreath or candelabra. And I almost did… until I thought about a little votive set that my mother in law recently gave to me. It came with four votives on a bronze colored metal tray with some decorative gravel. It occurred to me that a couple of small changes and a $4 can of spray paint later, I could have this year’s Advent candle “wreath” in a snap. (And very inexpensively with something I already had!!)

The best part of this new Advent “calendar” is that it’s reuseable, unlike the calendars of years past. Most of these activities are ‘regulars’ that we keep year after year. Others, such as sewing Christmas stockings, that I have planned this year but won’t necessarily want to do next year, can still be reused because there’s another side! Next year I can flip those activities over and write something else on the other side. =)

I’m really happy with the way both of these turned out and I look forward to using them all month. I love, love, love the blue. Last year our decorations were mostly turquoise/teal and white/silver. I plan to keep that color scheme while adding in a little red. This will do nicely. It just goes to show that you don’t really have to spend a lot of money to celebrate in style and with fun. And I still have almost half of that $4 can of spray left. I wonder what I can paint next….? ;0)

(P.S. If you want to know what’s written on the clothespins, I’ve taken close ups of the Advent Calendar clothespins and included what they say in the caption. Read this post more information about Advent and how we celebrate it. )

Have fun making your own Advent decorations! And if you already have, feel free to share links in the comments!

And so Advent begins!! We will definitely, as in previous years, be celebrating Advent at our house. And I will be, as in previous years, blogging about it as much as possible. Last year we really went for a simplified approach for several reasons. This year I hope to bring back a few traditions from seasons past. I’ve got several things planned, but I thought I’d start this year off with some links to posts from Advents gone before. If you’ve never read any of my Advent posts,  if you’re wondering what this is all about, or what Advent is.. this will be a good place to start! Yes, today is the first day of Advent, but tomorrow is just as good as day as any to begin. Advent is a tool, a celebration, to focus on Christ during this time of year. Use it to the benefit of your family and your Christmas holiday this year.

ADVENTure 2010

For 2010, we kept things really simple. We mostly focused on our Advent Candle Wreath and readings, our Jesse Tree and decorating symbolically.

Advent Candle Wreath/Readings

My “Faux Mantle” – (home for our Advent Candle Wreath.)

Jesse Tree

2010′s Themed Christmas Tree

Symbolic Themed Centerpiece

Advent 2009

The 2009 Advent series is more detailed, thoughtful and explains more about Advent, the holiday, and the preparation of our hearts. It incorporates the use of traditions and activities to intentionally and thoughtfully celebrate the holiday season.

The King is Coming!

Expectation : Why Advent? What is it? Goals, etc.

Execution : Making it happen.

Anticipation : Layering traditions to build anticipation.

Culmination : It’s all been building up to this.

Resolution : An end, and a beginning.

Advent 2008

The 2008 Advent posts take a “how-to” approach, with links and instructions for many traditions and activities that we use to focus the Advent and Christmas season on Jesus Christ and God. Symbolism plays a large role in our activities and traditions to point what we do to the gospel story.

Family Traditions

The Spirit of Baking

Decorating With Intent

The Spirit of Giving

Keeping Christ in Christmas, Christmas Morning

Other Posts:

There are other posts I have written over the years, peppered here and there and not belonging to a specific Advent series.

Where is He? - Do you ever feel like something’s MISSING? Do you sometimes get so caught up in Christmas you feel like you lost Christ along the way?

You’d Better Watch Out, You’d Better Not Cry… - in which I first confessed that Santa and I had a falling out, and that something needed to be done. What to do?

How We Fired Santa - In which we, yes, FIRED Santa from our Christmas traditions once and for all. How and why we let that go.

How to Make an Advent Calendar - One of the first we ever made, one of the easiest to create if you have littles.

Our New Christmas Tradition (The Gifts of the Magi Revisited.) - Taking our “Three Wisemen Gifts” even further… and LOVING IT. This will be the 3rd year we’ve done this. The 2nd year we “donated” our “gold” gift to Women At Risk and this year we have chosen World Vision.

Our Traveling Nativity - A tradition we have had for a long time. Sometimes we have one “static” nativity set up somewhere else while the traveling nativity “travels.” = )

I do hope that you are able to use some of these ideas and links to help you focus your holiday season on the BEST GIFT EVER. While celebrating naturally involves family and friends and gifts and decorations.. I hope that the gift of CHRIST transcends it all. God bless!

Jesus.

Babe.

Redeemer.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. ~Galatians 4:4-7

Long-awaited Messiah.

Sacrificial lamb.

Deliverer.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ~Colossians 1:13-15

High priest.

The prince.

The PRICE.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. ~Hebrews 9:11-14

3 Kings Day, January 6th: marking the end of Advent but not the end of waiting…waiting..One day, our prince will come. These letters, J-E-S-U-S, added for Advent will be swapped out with the F-A-I-T-H that normally hang there. As Advent passes, as the lessons of Christmas fade, may the love of Christ dwell in us richly throughout the year.

For Popinjay:Redeemed.

I thought this year would be different.

I thought this year, I would have a fireplace, and a mantel for stockings and a focal point for our nativity or Advent wreath.

Alas,.. I do not. = (

But what I do have, which might actually be bigger than most mantels, is my piano! = ) Each year I move my everyday piano decor aside and completely deck out the top of the piano. It’s a good place to put a nativity scene or advent candle wreath – or both!

Oh, this makes me smile! In keeping with the color scheme and theme of the Christmas tree, the white and the blue and the lights,.. oh what a pretty little sight. =)

You can even see a few of my “traveling nativity” pieces on the piano there…

I really like having the Advent candle wreath as the focal point in the middle. Usually it’s a nativity (but that has a new home this year.)

I bought a few of things on clearance at the end of last season (blue beaded garland, floral pieces) — and I forgot! Opening up the Christmas decorations and finding those on top was like finding an early Christmas present.

This really makes the Advent wreath the star of the display – the blue & white Christmas lights illuminate the snow cover. I love it.

Take a good look at that vase because when I’m getting home it’s actually going to get replaced by something BETTER! You’ll just have to wait and see… ; )

More pinecones!! (I never knew I had such a thing for pinecones but I’m realizing I do like them a lot. Especially white tipped or silver.)

There’s a white and silver garland twisted together on here, in addition to the brown ribbon with silver and teal accents, the blue beaded garland and a silver snowflake garland (which you can see in the bottom left of the previous picture.) I’m learning my style is a combination of simple and multi-layered.

The two large ornaments used to sit in the Christmas tree basket with the three big gold ones, but this year they’re segregated. =p There’s the bottom of another vase that WON’T be there after I get my hands on it. Really, this is going to be so much fun! (But I’ll keep you guessing until I get home and get it done.)

And last but not least, these little beaded sprays, I adore them. These also were purchased on clearance for a ridiculously low price and were forgotten until a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t found *just* the right thing for them yet, they may or may not still be here once I switch out the vases. We shall see. They need… something… I don’t know what yet.

So that’s my “faux mantel”.. even when I do have a fireplace I imagine my piano will still serve as a place of prominent display.

Do you have a real mantel or do you create your own mantel space? What do you put there?

• You can read more here about how we use colors, shapes and other symbols in our Christmas decorating to help celebrate Advent.