The Exorcism of 'Dancing Santa'

I am going to take a very 'Lemony Snicket' approach to this post. If you are reading this with hopes of hearing the pastor's merry thoughts to top off your sugar plum-filled mind with Christmas cheer and enhance your holiday humor - stop reading. Go right to the mall (not to Target stores) and give your loose change to the first person you find ringing a bell and then move on to drinking hot wassel and eating roasted (or microwaved) chestnuts while slurping figgy pudding at your in-laws. Don't read the rest of this post, because it will completely ruin your festive, Santa hat-clad disposition.

This post is for those who are tired of Christmas carols and who cringe every time you walk past a 'Dancing Santa' (ironically enough, I almost misspelled that and said 'Dancing Satan' - I won't even go there...) For many of you, this is not simply a matter of taking on the 'Scrooge' persona - it's a genuine struggle with all things ridiculous and superficial. Last Christmas, I had just returned home from Mongolia and 'Holly Jolly Christmas' rang resoundingly hollow. (Nothing personal against Burl Ives, as some would suspect...) For those who are can't wait to go back to work and normal life on January 3rd, I am writing this post for you.

I know how you feel and the only way to deal with those legitimate feelings of emptiness is to make some choices.

Over the past couple of years, I've made some choices about how I will engage my family without feeling like I was somehow compromising with the lame and listless glitz of the season (and thus avoid seriously bumming out my kids.)

Advent is full of meaning, particularly in terms of history. Yes, I know that it is highly unlikely that Christ was born near winter solstice. However, there is something rich and significant to designating a time of year to celebrate Immanuel. God in flesh is a miracle that is worthy of pondering and signifying. Our family has used these days leading into Christmas to light candles and to pray the Antiphon prayers, preparing our hearts and being reminded that the coming of God to earth in the form of Christ (the God-Man) was the event to which the prophets looked and for which the downtrodden longed.

We've also sought to find meaning and symbol in all of our decorating. The colors on our tree represent different aspects of the Gospel story (Red is the blood; gold is the fact that Jesus is our treasure; white is His holiness - and eventually ours, etc.) I've made it a point to remind my children (and myself) of these truths. We have a metal spike that we hang from the tree every year that reminds us that Jesus was indeed born to die.

A couple of years ago, Renee' and I read the book 'Safely Home' by Randy Alcorn. In this book he told of how many of the workers who are laboring in near slave-like conditions in the Christmas light factories in China are Christians, arrested for their faith. Rather than boycotting Christmas lights (as if that would do them any good at all) we are reminded to pray for our persecuted brothers and sister in China and around the world.

And then there's the story of the tree itself. I love the story of Saint Boniface and this warrior-monk's heroic rescue of the little girl about to be sacrificed by the druid priest during the Winter Solstice pagan festivities. Supposedly, after the girl was rescued and the Druid priest shoved out of the way, Boniface preached the Gospel to the people who were gathered there. He chopped down their sacred oak tree and told them to burn it their fire places. The tree that has caused fear in their lives has no power anymore (thus the Yule Log). He said, now make this Evergreen tree your new symbol - place its branches on your mantle and set it up as a symbol of the Christ child and of eternal life. Somehow stories like this make me less cynical about trees and lights and decorations.

The bottom line is I've decided that I will not allow this world, nor my cynicism, give meaning to this holiday. I will let Christ give meaning to this holiday because it is Christ who gives meaning to everything.

So let the world strategically place their annoying 'Dancing Santas' (Satans?) in the doorway of the season. I will not allow myself or my family to be distracted by such nonsense. I will celebrate Christ on this holiday (holy day) and find every symbol I can that will point our minds and hearts to Him who brings significance because he is the One who is essential to all of life.

As I make Christ truly central to everything that I do, it really doesn't matter what Burl Ives is singing.

Father, circle all who read this with your presence. Keep peace in. Keep tumult out.

Have a happy Christmas.