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This is
how it happened...I just
finished the household chores
for the night and was preparing
to go to bed, when I heard a
noise in the front of the house.
I opened the door to the front
room and to my surprise, Santa
himself stepped out from behind
the Christmas tree.
He
placed his finger over his mouth
so I would not cry out. "What
are you doing?" I started to
ask. The words choked up in my
throat, and I saw he had tears
in his eyes. His usual jolly
manner was gone. Gone was the
eager, boisterous soul we all
know.
He then answered me with a
simple statement.
"TEACH
THE CHILDREN!"
I was
puzzled; what did he mean? He
anticipated my question, and
with one quick movement brought
forth a miniature toy bag from
behind the tree. As I stood
bewildered, Santa said,
"Teach
the children! Teach them the old
meaning of Christmas. The
meaning that now-a-days
Christmas has forgotten."
Santa
then reached in his bag and
pulled out a
FIR TREE
and placed it before the mantle.
"Teach
the children that the pure green
color of the stately fir tree
remains green all year round,
depicting the everlasting hope
of mankind, all the needles
point heavenward, making it a
symbol of man's thoughts turning
toward heaven."
He
again reached into his bag and
pulled out a brilliant
STAR.
"Teach
the children that the star was
the heavenly sign of promises
long ago. God promised a Savior
for the world, and the star was
the sign of fulfillment of His
promise."
He then
reached into his bag and pulled
out a
CANDLE.
"Teach
the children that the candle
symbolizes that Christ is the
light of the world, and when we
see this great light we are
reminded of He who displaces the
darkness."
Once
again he reached into his bag
and removed a
WREATH
and placed it on the tree.
"Teach
the children that the wreath
symbolizes the real nature of
love. Real love never ceases.
Love is one continuous round of
affection."
He then
pulled from his bag an ornament
of himself.
"Teach
the children that I, Santa
Clause symbolize the generosity
and good will we feel during the
month of December."
He then
brought out a
HOLLY LEAF.
"Teach the children that the
holly plant represents
immortality. It represents the
crown of thorns worn by our
Savior. The red holly represents
the blood shed by Him."
Next he pulled from his bag a
GIFT
and said,
"Teach
the children that God so loved
the world that HE gave HIS
begotten SON..." "Thanks be to
God for his unspeakable gift.
"Teach
the children that the wise men
bowed before the Holy BABE and
presented HIM with gold,
frankincense and myrrh. We
should always give gifts in the
same spirit of the wise men."
Santa
then reached in his bag and
pulled out a
CANDY CANE
and hung it on the tree.
"Teach
the children that the candy cane
represents the shepherds' crook.
The crook on the staff helps to
bring back strayed sheep to the
flock. The candy cane is the
symbol that we are our brother's
keeper."
He
reached in again and pulled out
an
ANGEL.
"Teach the children that it was
the angels that heralded in the
glorious news of the Savior's
birth. The angels sang 'Glory to
God in the highest, on earth
peace and good will toward men."
Suddenly I heard a soft
twinkling sound, and from his
bag he pulled out a
BELL.
"Teach
the children that as the lost
sheep are found by the sound of
the bell, it should ring mankind
to the fold. The bell symbolizes
guidance and return."
Santa
looked back and was pleased. He
looked back at me and I saw that
the twinkle was back in his
eyes. He said,
"Remember,
teach the children the true
meaning of Christmas and do not
put me in the center, for I am
but an humble servant of the One
that is, and I
bow down to worship HIM, our
LORD, our GOD."
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