The Reason For The Season

To truly understand how Christmas affected my son Logan last year you would have to know that EVERYDAY for 9 months he would say, "I want that for Christmas". It was one of the most impressionable events of his life. And for a youngster of 3 years old, it makes perfect sense. In fact if it didn't have that impression on him, I would be worried.

So this year as we began to decorate for Christmas, thoughts of presents immediately leaped into Logan's thoughts.... and words. He loves Christmas for the presets. Of course he loves to see his cousins especially the the boys from Omaha who he doesn't get to see very often. And we see the grandparents more often than usual through the holidays, and both boys love to see their grandparents.

A week ago I went home teaching to a family who has a daughter only a few months younger than Logan. She was just young enough last year that she didn't so much remember all the cool loot you get from Santa. This family has been focusing on the birth of Christ this season. They have taught their daughter about the nativity, the humble beginnings of our Savior, and the importance of giving this time of year. This young girl never so much as asked for a single thing, because she didn't understand that Santa was going to bring her fun toys.

A few days prior to my home teaching visit Logan and his girl friend played together. Wouldn't you know that when this young girl went home, the first thing she told her mother was, "I want Diego Safari Rescue for Christmas", "I want a Lightning McQueen Racetrack for Christmas" and I want a "big, big, big, dinosaur." Leave it to my child to corrupt the purity of the Christmas holiday for this young girl.

This story got me to think about the true meaning of Christmas. Of course the true meaning of Christmas is all about the birth of the Savior of the World, the Prince of Peace. His birth is a way for the world to celebrate His gift to all the world. It is because of Him that we are all able to be forgiven of our sins and shortcomings, to return to His presence and live with our Father in Heaven.

The time in my life that I was able to reflect on this true meaning of Christmas the most, was when I was in the Missionary Training Center. This is a place where the world is closed off to young missionaries. Missionaries go there to study the gospel and language before they go out to preach the gospel to all the world. Inside the Missionary Training Center there was zero outside influence to secular Christmas. I never once saw Santa the Christmas of 1992. We were able to sing Christmas songs, but only the ones in the Hymn Book. The mall was off limits.

If I counter the Christmas of 1992 to the Christmas of today, there are many stark differences. This year I have two young boys who LOVE Santa. They can't get enough of what the holiday offers. They love to see the Christmas lights decorating the homes in our neighborhood. The Christmas Tree is something they fight over to be the one to light the tree. They have seen Santa twice now and LOVE him. Logan even cried when we left from seeing Santa because "We didn't say goodbye and Santa will miss me."

Commercialism plays a major role in this holiday, and I would like to go on public record to say that's not an entirely bad thing. Seeing the happiness of a child at Christmas is one of the highlights of being a father. Taking children to the mall and letting them sit on Santa's lap is priceless. Watching the excitement children have in anticipation of opening presents, is something I enjoy at Christmas.

Certainly Christmas is a wonderful holiday. It's the happiest time of the year. I suggest that it is such a happy time because of a combination of Christ's birth and the Spirit of Santa. Certainly our non Christian brothers and sisters love Christmas for what Santa brings on December 25th. And Christian zealots are justified in saying, "without Christ there would be no Christmas." Our family feels doubly blessed because as for me and my house, we celebrate both.