Oh
the
beauty
of
Christmas
that
God
gave
us.
Many
times
during
this
joyous
time
of
the
year
we
forget
the
real
meaning
of
Christmas.
The
historic
record
of
the first
Christmas
is
found
in
Matthew 1:18-25
and Luke 2:1-20.
Why
would
God
do
such
a
thing?
Why
would
He
come
as
a
baby,
instead
of
appearing
in
power
and
majesty?
Why
make
Himself
a
true
man
and
live
among
us,
when
He
knew
full
well
how
terribly
He
would
be
treated?
It
was
LOVE!
It
was
necessary,
if
we
are
to
be
saved!
|
Late
one
Christmas
Eve
I
sank
back,
tired
but
content,
into
my
easy
chair.
The
kids
were
in
bed,
the
gifts
were
wrapped,
the
milk
and
cookies
waited
by
the
fireplace
for
Santa.
As
I
sat
back
admiring
the
tree
with
its
decorations,
I
couldn't
help
feeling
that
something
was
missing.
It
wasn't
long
before
the
tiny
twinkling
tree
lights
lulled
me
to
sleep.
I
don't
know
how
long
I
slept,
but
all
of
a
sudden
I
knew
that
I
wasn't
alone.
I
opened
my
eyes,
and
you
can
imagine
my
surprise
when
I
saw
Santa
Claus
himself,
standing
next
to
my
Christmas
tree.
He
was
dressed
all
in
fur
from
his
head
to
his
foot
just
as
the
poem
described
him.
But,
he
was
not
the
"jolly
old
elf"
of
Christmas
legend.
The
man
who
stood
before
me
looked
sad
and
disappointed.
And
there
were
tears
in
his
eyes.
"Santa,
what's
wrong?"
I
asked.
"Why
are
you
crying?"
"It's
the
children,"
Santa
replied
sadly.
"But
the
children
love
you,"
I
said.
"Oh,
I
know
they
love
me
and
the
gifts
I
bring
them,"
Santa
said.
"But
the
children
of
today
seem
to
have
somehow
missed
out
on
the
true
spirit
of
Christmas
.
.
.
and
it's
not
their
fault!
It's
just
that
the
adults,
many
of
them
not
having
been
taught
themselves,
have
forgotten
to
teach
the
children."
"Teach
them
what?"
I
asked.
Santa's
kind
old
face
became
soft,
more
gentle.
His
eyes
began
to
shine
with
something
more
than
tears.
He
spoke softly.
"Teach
the
children
the
true
meaning
of
Christmas.
Teach
them that
the
part
of Christmas
we
can
see,
hear,
and
touch
is
much
more than
meets
the
eye.
Teach
them
the
symbolism
behind
the customs
and
traditions
of
Christmas
we
now
observe.
Teach
them what
it
is
they truly
represent."
Santa
reached
into
his
bag
and pulled
out
a
tiny Christmas
tree
and
set
it
on
my
mantle. "Teach
them
about
the
Christmas
tree.
Green
is
the second
color
of
Christmas.
The
stately
evergreen
with
its unchanging
color
represents
the
hope
of
eternal
life
in
Jesus.
It's
needles point
heavenward
as
a reminder
that
man's
thoughts
should
turn
heavenward as
well."
Santa
reached
into
his
bag
again
and
pulled
out
a shiny
star
and
placed
it
at
the
top
of
the
small
tree.
"The
star was
the
heavenly
sign
of
promise.
God
promised
a
Savior
for
the
world
and
the
star
was the
sign
of
the fulfillment
of
that
promise
of
the
night
that
Jesus
Christ
was
born.
Teach
the
children
that
God
always
fulfills
His promises
and
that wise
men
still
seek
Him."
"Red,"
said
Santa,
"is
the
first
color
of
Christmas."
He
pulled
forth
a
red
ornament
for
the
tiny
tree.
"Red
is
deep, intense,
vivid.
It
is the
color
of
the
life-giving
blood
that
flows through
our
veins.
It is
the
symbol
of
God's
greatest
gift.
Teach
the children
that
Christ
gave
His
life
and
shed
His
blood
for
them
that
they might
have
eternal
life.
When
they
see
the
color
red
it
should remind
them
of
that
most
wonderful
gift."
Santa
found
a
bell
in
his
pack
and
placed
it
on
the tree.
"Just
as
lost
sheep
are
guided
to
safety
by
the
sound
of
the bell,
it continues
to
ring
today
for
all
to
be
guided
to
the fold.
Teach
the
children
to
follow
the
true
Shepherd
who
gave
His life
for
the sheep."
Santa
placed
a
candle
on
the
mantle
and
lit
it.
The soft
glow
from
its
one
tiny
flame
brightened
the
room.
"The
glow of
the
candle
represents
how
man
can
show
his
thanks
for
the
gift of
God's
son
who
was
born
that
Christmas
Eve
long
ago.
Teach
the
children
to
follow
in
Christ's
footsteps, to
go
about
doing good.
Teach
them
to
let
their
lights
shine
before men
that
all
may
see
it
and
glorify
God.
This
is
what
is
symbolized when
the
twinkly lights
shine
on
the
tree
like
hundreds
of
bright, shining
candles, each
of
them
representing
one
of
God's
precious children,
their light
shining
for
all
to
see."
Again,
Santa
reached
into
his
bag
and
this
time
he
brought
forth
a tiny
red
and
white
striped
candy
cane.
As
he
hung
it
on
the
tree,
he spoke
softly,
"The
candy
cane
is
a
stick
of
hard,
white
candy.
White to
symbolize
the
virgin
birth
and
sinless
nature
of
Jesus
and
the shape
'J'
to
represent
the
precious
name
of
Jesus
who
came
to earth
as
our
Savior.
It
also
represents
the
crook the
Good
Shepherd
uses
to
reach
down
into
the
ditches
of
the
world
to
lift
out
the
fallen lambs
who,
like
sheep,
have
gone
astray.
The original
candy
cane had
three
small
red
stripes
which
are
the
stripes
of the
scourging Jesus
received
by
which
we
are
healed,
and
a
large
red
stripe
that represents
the
shed
blood
of
Jesus
so
that
we
can
have
eternal life.
Teach
these
things
to
the
children."
Santa
brought
out
a
beautiful
wreath
made
of
fresh,
fragrant
greenery and
tied
with
a
bright
red
bow.
"The
bow
reminds
us of
the
bond
of
perfection
which
is
love.
The
wreath
embodies
all the
good
things
about
Christmas
for
those
with
eyes
to
see
and hearts
to
understand. It
contains
the
colors
of
red
and
green
and
the heaven-turned
needles
of
the
evergreen.
The
bow
tells
the
story
of
good will
towards
all;
and
its
color
again
reminds
us
of
Christ's
sacrifice.
Even
its
very
shape
is
symbolic,
representing
eternity
and
the
eternal nature
of
Christ's
love. It
is
a
circle
without
beginning
and
without
end.
These
are
the
things you
must
teach
the
children."
"But
where
does
that
leave
you
Santa?"
I
asked.
The tears
gone
now from
his
eyes,
a
smile
broke
over
Santa's
face.
"Why,
bless
you
my dear,"
he
laughed.
"I'm
only
a
symbol
myself.
I represent
the
spirit of
family
fun
and
the
joy
of
giving
and
receiving.
If
the
children
are taught
these
other
things,
there
is
no
danger
that
I'll
ever
be forgotten."
"I
think
I'm
beginning
to
understand
at
last,"
I
replied.
"That's
why
I
came,"
said
Santa.
"You're
an
adult.
If
you
don't teach
the
children
these
things
. .
then who
will?"