Remaking Santa in the Shape of the Cross

"He's making a list, and checkin' it twice.
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice."

The debate resumes every December: should Christian parents teach their children about Santa Claus? Supporters of Jolly Old St. Nick often point to the original St. Nicholas. At Incarnatus Est, you can read a defense of Santa from Pastor Paul Gregory Alms.  At Burr in the Burgh, Pastor  Scott Stiegemeyer suggests going without the man in the red suit.

Fictional characters teach us something about the world.  The question for Christians is what a gift-bearing Santa Claus teaches us about the ultimate gift-bearer, Our Savior Jesus Christ. Just as C.S. Lewis conveyed a message of sin and salvation in Narnia; just as Flannery O'Connor explored good and evil in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find;" the Santa Claus mythology has come to speak broadly to our culture on questions of justice and grace. In Christian terms, that's Law and Gospel. Santa Claus has great potential to teach us about Christ at Christmastime, but too often, he is teaching us something else--something far worse than crass consumerism.

Unfortunately, even for Christians, our popular notion of Santa is that he's more law-giver than gift-bringer. He's "gonna find out who's naughty and nice." The implication is clear for our kids: naughty boys and girls don't get Santa's gifts.

In many ways, what's happened to Santa Claus is symptomatic of what's happening in churches. The gift of the Gospel is often turned into Law.  Our gift of forgiveness is predicated upon our good behavior. Naughty Christians don't get Gospel gifts. It's no wonder our Santa Claus story has become so weighed down with moralism; our Christ story has become that way, too.

But we needn't cast Santa Claus aside, despite the way we've mucked up his story. Because inside the legend lies a universal theme that points straight to the Savior. Let's remake Santa, as gift-giver first. No more threats to our children about lumps of coal in their stockings. No more warnings, disguised as questions: "Have you been really good this year?'

Instead, let our Santa Claus be like our Christ. Let him bring toys, freely and lovingly. Let him forgive our children's sins as Christ first forgave us. Let him act unilaterally to shower our children with gifts, as Christ acted unilaterally to shower us with salvation. If Santa exists, let him teach our children about something worthwhile; let him teach our children, and us, about Christmas.

Comments

[Orycteropus Afer]

The Aardvark household anticipates the coming of Santa. For the past three years, he's brought me the extended DVD editions of Lord of the Rings, so I'm not about to dis the dude.

We don't really talk about him, make big promises, or anything else. If they ask, I tell about the original Nick. Since young children have poor temporal sense, the hundreds of years ago doesn't throw 'em at all. When it does, we talk about who Nick was and how the true Giver of all good led Nicholas and others to give of themselves.

[Scott Strohkirch]

Hey Dave,

I put some sentiments on my blog as well. Please go check it out. I agree with what you write here. My wife and I told our kids the truth about Santa Clause and my children are learning about St. Nicholas in Public schools. How about that?

I miss your voice on CF and LQ. Things just aren't the same. Luther's Rose has gone east with Dr. Hogg now and is known as Byzantine Dixie on CF.

We do have Kepler who came from Pentecostal roots and has become a very good Lutheran apologist. He is very clear in his arguments. Would like to see you again on CF but I understand why you left.

[David Brazeal]

Hi, Scott! Thanks for the note -- I'm glad to see you found this post. It's good to hear from you. I'm disappointed to hear about Luther's Rose. I suppose, when I think about it, I'm not terribly surprised. The LCMS is in such poor shape right now, folks are looking for something stable. There's no place more stable than Constantinople. It's too bad about that little problem they have on justification (though from what I can tell, they get around that by claiming they just think in different "categories" than those of us in the West).

[Scott Strohkirch]

I think for her it was a matter of the Lutheran Church congregations around her geographical location were all steepnecked in heterodoxy and Contemporary worship rather than embracing their orthodox roots.

I noticed this is your first posting on your blog in quite a while. I would be curious as to what you think of mine. Please go and read and let me know.