What is the real purpose behind the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus? They seem like greater steps toward faith and imagination, each with a payoff. Like cognitive training exercises (Chuck Palahniuk).
This writer owned an apartment in New York City, right in the middle of Manhattan. For many years, I would go up to the city and use my "Pied d-terre" for a few days about once a month. This was a wonderful launching pad for my many travels and, I did enjoy the plays and other arts-activities of that great metropolis. I lived near the United Nations and, because of my travels, contacts, was invited to many United Nations activities. Going to the UN, I would walk on Dag Hammarskjold Blvd., passing the famous emblem of a sword and plow. How totally foolish that a group of high living diplomats could bring peace to the world. Jesus said, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew, 10:34). It is good that the United Nations is in Manhattan, a city known world wide, as the modern Sodom.
As if Christmas has not been Paganized enough, yesterday, a Manhattan SantaCon, sponsored by the alcohol industries took place. Thousands of costumed Santas converged in Manhattan. Making a once holy day, a further Paganized holiday. Drunk Santas everywhere. I have my many reservations about the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, but why completely demonize poor old Santa. We were all children one time, and we all loved the thoughts of Santa's largess. Little did we realize that one half of the population of this Country would become dependent on "Big Government Santa."
This writer was a child during the great depression. A time when 9 million of my fellow Americans starved to death... mostly in cities. Country folk were able to survive because they had means for growing things, raising and hunting meat. I still remember my mother cooking large wash pots of hominy grits and pouring the hominy in large containers to feed the hungry people in the community. I still remember the day Mr. Ben, an old black man with a large family, came to my mother's door and told her he would like anything she could give him because his children were hungry. She said, "Thomas, take this paper bag (There was no plastic then) and go to the potato hill and get a bag of potatoes". She gave him potatoes, hominy and some bones from which meat had been cut, so they could make soup.
At our church, a large white clapboard building, built by my great grandparents on both sides in 1874, we always had a Christmas program, depression or not. It was the only time many poor children received anything for Christmas. And, there was a Christmas tree in the church. At the program-party, there was singing of Christmas songs, refreshments. During the time towards the end there would be a large racket at the church door. Uncle Blunner, my grandfather's brother, would appear in his well worn Santa costume. He would have a large fertilizer bag with oranges and candy. I remember some of the children had never seen an orange, my own father had to show them how to peel it. Uncle Blunner was the father of two fine boys, had never known anything except hard work and hard times. He coached the local baseball team, had probably never made one comment at the church, but knew how to love children. DON'T TAKE THAT MEMORY AWAY FROM ME, with this Manhattan foolishness. Our blessed Lord to see the joy of children and I believe He would tolerate such a Santa Claus, as Uncle Blunner. I do believe that our blessed Lord would understand the tree in the church.
This writer does not spend any money on Christmas decorations. I know people who spend much money on Christmas decorations, yet never give any money for God's work.
To the best of my remembering, I did spend one dollar, one time for a Christmas tree. I was having coffee one morning with a friend, manager of a furniture store (Helig-Meyers) and he told me that he was decorating the store. He said, "I have a large box of Christmas trees and I will place them all over the store on tables." This was the time before so much lighting... just trimmed trees. I asked him if I could purchase one of the trees from him. He told me it would cost one dollar. I placed the tree on the table in the reception room of my private practice. After Christmas, I would put the tree back in a storage closet. Each year, I would take it out for Christmas. I sold the practice many years ago, I wonder if they are still using my tree. I have a friend who pays someone $50 to decorate the tree in her home each year. It costs we taxpayers $30,000 to decorate the National White House Christmas tree. It must be repugnant to our blessed Lord that millions are spent decorating stores, streets, homes, even churches, at a time when there are hungry refugee children all over the world.
Everyday of my life, at my time of Communion, (Taking a small piece of bread and small sip of wine) relationship with God, I express my concern for hungry refugee people, especially children, all over the world. The scene will never leave my mind, this world traveler, at the boarder between Afghanistan and Pakistan, refugees lined up with large bags of their belongings over their shoulders. Their children in rags, barefoot, on the icy ground. You are not allowed to take photographs at a boarder crossing, but I had a small camera that fit into the palm of my hand and I did take some photographs. No one cares, the word concern is a lost word in most vocabularies. But, the one celebrated at Christmas, the one in which we place any hope, the one who gives grace to survive is still represented by a tree. If your Christmas is commercialized, it is your fault. Our Savior died on a tree. Think of this, the lights on the tree, He is the light of the world; the briars and thorns of a tree, His crown; the red berries of a tree, His blood.
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