Pictures with Santa

The kids have now had their picture taken with Santa twice.

The first time was at Yuba Feather's Holiday Kick-off with a very youthful Santa.

The second time was this past weekend at the Nevada City United Methodist Church during Victorian Christmas with a very authentic-looking Santa.

Trek and Dylan had no qualms about sitting with a strange man that has long hair and beard (take note CB).  This was probably due to the fact that they knew that was who was handing out the candy canes.  Abby was completely mortified. 

Joe was trying to ignore the fellow completely.  Since Joe wouldn't tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas, Jono said the thing he would most like was a hug.  Bless his heart (Joe's or Santa's?)--that Santa gave Joe the biggest bear hug!

Pretty hilarious.  Joe may never go see a Santa again.

Side note:  Santa's elves also made it to Victorian Christmas.

I had a friend ask me why I make my kids take pictures with Santa if we don't "play Santa" at our house.  I had to think about it a little.  We tell our kids the story of St. Nicholas and we still fill up their stockings on Christmas Eve.  We just don't go into elaborate tales of a man far away who is watching everything they do and will come bringing gifts mysteriously in the night.  Our pastor, Maury Robertson, had some words that fit my feelings just perfectly...

"Santa is not real. But Santa is an echo of something that is. Santa arrives from a distant country, filled with love for all the world. He comes bringing justice. (Have you managed to stay off the naughty list?) He brings gifts from a workshop of infinite resources. These gifts are not generic. Santa has a list with our name on it. We whisper the secret desire of our heart and he prepares a gift to match. The veil between presents and Presence is very thin.

In the Christmas movies, belief in Santa transforms sinners into saints."

That's what I want my kids to believe.

That's what I want to, need to, put my faith in.

That sinners can be transformed into saints.

And it's not a fat man in a jolly red suit that is going to do that.

He's just an echo of the real thing--

Jesus

who loved us enough to enter this messed up world that long ago Christmas Eve

so that sinners like me (and you) could be transformed.

May you experience the joy of transformation this Christmas season!

{You can find more of Maury's writings at http://www.rivervalleyyc.org/blog/}