The Battle for the Soul of Christmas is at hand! In one corner is the origin source of the holiday, Jesus Christ himself. In the other is the folklore sensation Santa Claus. Only one can win as master of the holiday! Let the battle begin!
STATS
Name: Jesus Christ
Alias: Immanuel
Title: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace,
Son of God, and Messiah.
Height: Unknown
Weight: Slim to Average
Powers: Holy Ghost Force Push, Flying, Teleporting, Water Walking,
Creating Anything, Invincibility, Healing, and an infinite more powers.
Description: Jesus is the Son of God, endowed the Powers of the Most High and capable of anything because he is God. Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary and grew up to testify to the Truth and die for the sins of mankind. Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead on the Third Day. Those who believe in Christ are granted eternal life.
Name: Santa Claus (Odin)
Alias: Kris Kringle
Title: Father Christmas and King of the Norse gods
Height: Unknown
Weight: Obese
Powers: Present Making, Flying Sled, Magical Reindeer,
Crystal Ball, Magical sack, Create any present, and Holiday Laugh.
Description: Santa Claus is a mythological character derived Norse mythology and from magic filled fables. Santa is Odin, the King of the Norse Gods. Odin wore a long white beard and put presents for the Vikings in their boots. Santa is also believed to draw inspiration from St. Nicholas, who gave presents to the poor children and families in Turkey.
Santa Claus' resonance with children is startling. Somewhere along the way people starting teaching kids to as Kris Kringal to answer their prayers and wishes in wintry time of year. The puzzling aspect of this is that Santa cannot answer prayers. So parents are forced to rush to the stores and try to keep the hoax alive so that their children will believe for at least twelve years or less. What inevitably happens is that a child will get disappointed and disillusioned. Unfortunately, the deception about Santa can play into Satan's narrative and make kids question the existence of God. Since parents have already told them a lie about Santa, what about the Savior in the Manger?
In contrast if children were to look to Christ and ask God for what they really wanted, miracles and major wonders would happen. God can answer prayers and only he can read the hearts of every child and know what they really want for Christmas. Parents would still need to shop, but they may be surprised that because their son or daughter prayed they were able to find that gaming system or a benevolent person decided to give them what the kid wanted. Can you imagine if instead of putting on presents FROM SANTA, we put FROM GOD or JESUS. It says in Scripture, "everything is the Lord and the fullness their of." (Psalm 24:1)). Therefore, everything we receive and even pay for is from God.
It is difficult to defeat the folklore completely. The Christmas Tree itself is beautiful and the lights and ornaments bespell onlookers. Although the evergreen tree itself has a pagan history, in which the Druids worshiped the tree by bringing it inside their house. Granted, Christians do not worship the tree, it is tradition to bring an pine tree inside and to decorate it for the season. Still, one must wonder why the tree gets more attention than the Nativity Scene. Santa Claus is not all bad either, he is based on a saint and in small doses is not harmful to children. The error lies in teaching children to trust in Santa. It would be better to tell your sons and daughters that Santa was a real person named St. Nicholas, who gave poor kids and families gifts and money. A better way to honor St. Nick would be to help at a soup kitchen or to do one of those angel projects where you pick a kid in a charity and get them something they want for the holiday.
Christmas does not have to be all charity and no fun. I am not calling for a boycott of Xmas symbols and décor. However, I do wish to highlight that children are being turned off by the Birth of Christ, because they are told Mr. Claus will get them what they want. Materialism, not the Messiah has become the focus of many people. The result is a society that is self focused and without salvation. The greatest gift of all was given to us by God and instead of being excited about that we are destined for Heaven and can be made whole, we want to fill our hearts up with possessions.
At this point Santa Claus is winning the battle for the minds and hearts of people this time of year. Devout believers will no doubt put up The Nativity and sing Carols. But what about the children? When you teach them about a Magical wizard who can't make their dreams come true, instead of Almighty God who really can make their dreams come true, what do you think is going to happen? I know many brothers and sisters are timid to minimize Santa's influence or his magic fearing that their children will be outcasts and miss out on what their friends are doing. But I ask what is more important? That children are able to play around with folklore that damages their view of God and makes them trust in something else than the Lord? Or is it worth teaching them about the True Reason of the Season; that Jesus Christ came to save their souls and make sure that they could live again in paradise and that all that they desire can only be fulfilled by Him, the Creator of All Things? The answer is obvious.
In the end Christ will win, even at the eleventh hour of the fifth match. He will return and all this folklore will burn up with anything he had no hand in making. We will not celebrate Santa Claus and his magic in the New Earth. No, instead it will be celebrated for what it really is, Christ's Birth Day. I wonder if the Lord is offended that we would rather believe in something that is not real and celebrate it, than celebrate what he did? Granted the actual date of Christ's birth is argued. Some Anthropologists and Archaeologists claim that Jesus was born in Spring or Fall. Well despite if that is true, the holiday that celebrates Christ's Birth is in the Winter.
To reiterate, I am not saying that you should eliminate decorations that bring you joy this season. I simply am examining the errors involved in the folklore side of the holiday. The point is to teach the next generation the truth, that God sent his only begotten son to save us and that it began in Bethlehem, in a manger. It is time to teach children the true meaning of Christmas and start letting Santa and everything else be supporting characters and scenery to the Protagonist of Protagonists: Christ the Lord.
Addendum:
I have learned recently there is a better reason to forgo Santa Claus, His elves and all the magic tied to it. It turns out Norse Mythology is the origin source for the Christmas folklore. Santa Claus turns out to be Odin! So there is a reason why the folklore has turned kids away from Christ and The Nativity; It is surviving fragments of a pagan religion! Here is more to read about the similarities and how Odin worship and patronage as survived in the folklore of Santa: http://infolocata.com/mirovia/irrefutable-proof-that-santa-is-odin/
There is a cosmic battle going on between The King of Kings and The King of the Norse gods. Odin with the guise of Santa has successful stolen the hearts of young children and turned their interest from Christ's Birthday Celebration. The pagan roots of the Yule Tide Folklore of the Vikings and other Nordic people has infected the holiday and turned people's attention to the magic, instead of the manger. What seems innocent at first, has actually been a systematic plan to subvert The Savior and take the throne of people's hearts during this holiday season.
Discovering that the traditions of Kris Kringle are pagan is difficult to cope with. Every child has been exposed in some measure to the Man in the Red Suit. And yet there is a sinister part of Santa and it is seducing young people by the millions. Neo-Paganism is becoming a popular religion. The old Norse and Greco-Roman gods are finding new followers in contemporary times. The Bible and therefore The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been stripped from public institutions and thus has less influence with each passing year. The plan is pagan. If children are only exposed to Odin in Disguise, then they will be conditioned to be accept Neo-Paganism or mix it with their faith in Christ.
At first I was convinced that Mr. Claus was just a fable concocted by bards. But now it is evident that the Principality of Tyre (Tyre is the Greek name for Odin), the Fallen Angel, has beguiled so many Christians. I once scoffed at fundamentalists who said Santa is just Satan's name scrambled. Now I know they were on to something.
Solution:
To combat this paganism that would seek to subvert our faith, I suggest the following alternatives. Instead of teaching children about Santa Claus, teach them about the real St. Nicholas, who is the closet Christian equivalent and is believed to have been an inspiration for Santa. Then divert their attention to Christ and teach them that the Greatest Gift is already available to them. Make the holiday about celebrating Christ's Birth and God's mercy on mankind. Then have the gifts like tradition and say that they represent what the Three Wise Men gave in homage to Jesus. Tell Children to ask God for what they want for Christmas and let them start putting their trust in Him; who is the One True God and not a imaginary man crossed with a fallen angel. It is time to partner with Jesus in battle for Christmas. To do so we must purge the paganism that has crept into Christmas. It will mean being not of the world, but that is part of our calling. We are not suppose to imitate everything in this world, but to imitate and be like Jesus.
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