Ho! Ho! Ho! Hello there. Do you like stories? Then let me share a little story with you. I’m a Santa Claus. Not the real guy, but one of his representatives. Some people like to collect Santa representatives. I’m not sure why since they only want us to show up at certain times of the year. The rest of the time we’re stuffed in bags and boxes and hid away in dark places. That doesn’t sound like much fun, now, does it? But come December, we start escaping out into the daylight.
Some people say Santa represents the special loving spirit that seems to show up at Christmas time. That’s when you hear stories about random kindness where someone buys some person they don’t even know a cup of coffee or maybe some milk and cookies. Santas all over like those cookies. That’s when toy drives fill up Santa’s sled because even Santa’s magic needs a little help now and again. That’s when people string lights on rooftops to light up the world. Of course, we know who the real Light of the world is and the true reason for Christmas. That has more to do with angels singing to shepherds, a baby in a manger at Bethlehem and a star leading wise men to the Savior.
But Santas have a way of adding a little jolly fun to the holiday. It’s like this guy, Edwin Osgood Grover says. “Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows.”
That’s the Santa spirit, and that’s why Santas need to escape the boxes people stuff us down into. Okay, so we can sleep all year in our dark places, but come December we have to push up out of those boxes and bags. We are here to remind everyone that Christmas is coming. We don’t always just end up on shelf somewhere. Sometimes we take pictures with beautiful boys and girls whose eyes dance with the wonder of Christmas. Sometimes we stand on street corners or in front of stores and ring a bell to encourage you to share your Christmas spirit. Sometimes we might be a policeman with the “Shop with a Cop” event where we take children to a big store to buy presents not only for themselves but for their families, because Christmas is about giving. So even if you don’t see Santa suits on those people who take time to do special things for others at Christmas, they have Santa hearts.
Folks think Santa just shows up at midnight on Christmas Eve by sliding down a chimney, but it’s like this Paul M. Ell says, “They err who think Santa Claus comes down through the chimney; he really enters through the heart.”
But while all of us Santas who escape the boxes and bags where we’ve been sleeping all year, are happy enough to remind everybody about the spirit of Christmas, we know that we’re not what really makes Christmas the most beautiful time of the year. We know a baby born to a virgin is the true wonder of Christmas. “And she will bring forth a Son, you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) And the angels sang. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)
We Santa representatives will only stand out on a shelf for a few weeks, but may we all keep that true Christmas spirit in our hearts year round and give glory to God in thanks for His indescribable gift of love. You can pack us Santas away but don’t pack away the Christmas spirit and love. Let it linger through the year so we can rejoice with the angels for peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
Hope you enjoyed my escaping Santa tale. I’ve been collecting Santas since a fellow worker with my husband made that jolly little guy in the middle. He has a pen and he’s making a list. At first it only had my children’s name, but now I’ve added their spouses and all the grandchildren. The other Santas have joined him on the shelf over the years, mostly as gifts under the tree.
Remember the giving spirit is going on right now here on my One Writer’s Journal blog, and if you leave a comment (maybe about something you let escape your boxes at Christmas time) here on my post, your name will be in a drawing for your choice of one of my books. It can be a copy my Shaker Christmas book, Christmas at Harmony Hill, that is on special e-book sale this month for 99 cents or one of my other books. The prize book is an autographed print copy. You can check out the e-book special on a number of online book sites, including Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and wherever you like to shop for e-books.
Thanks for reading. I did hear from Marilyn, last week’s winner, and I’m putting a copy of River to Redemption in the mail to her today. Can’t wait to see which of your names I draw out of my hat on Sunday.
Comments 45
Very thoughtful, wonderful story, Ann. I hope we all can demonstrate a little bit of Santa through out the year, not just at Christmas.
Author
Christmas spirit throughout the year sounds really good, Connie. Especially now when you hear such bad news at times and people seeming to be so divided and unhappy. So we’ll think Christmas joy and try to keep it in our hearts as we go into 2020.
I enjoyed your Santa story. We have a lot of memories that come to mind when we bring those decorations out that have been stored away for a year. I collect cardinals and have a lot on my tree, some that came from my children and grandchildren. Each one brings back a memory. This year I bought a new Angel that I have put on my mantel. I have decided she is going to stay there all year and she will be the center of any decorations that I put up through out the year. Some things that we like just need to be displayed and not stored away. May God’s love shine out to us all during this time of celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Author
What a beautiful wish for us all, Brenda. Thank you. “The Light of the world is Jesus.” I like birds too and have many little bird decorations I put around the top of my Christmas tree. I think they need to roost up high. LOL.
Your angel sounds lovely and angels watching over us throughout the year sounds wonderful to me.
I love the story and the whole idea of it.
I would have to say that it’s my nativity scenes that escape the boxes sometimes and stay the whole year out in the light.
One in particular sits on my bedside table… And it stays out year-round.
I’m sure you do not remember, but I was the moderator for a panel you were on at the South Carolina Book Festival several years back.
Would love to run into you again at another book event.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Author
Well, hello again, Lynn. I’m not great with names, but I do remember being at the South Carolina Book Festival. I think that festival the two years I was invited was the most fun I’ve ever had at a book event. That was because I got to go listen to many of the other panels and presentations by the other authors. Maybe someday I’ll be invited back to that festival. My daughter lives in SC and came with me both times. So that probably made it even better.
It’s interesting that you and some others leave the nativity scenes out all year. And why not? We should remember this greatest Gift all year long.
Thanks for the Santa story, Ann. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have that “Santa attitude” year ’round? I have many favorite Christmas ornaments and still have the first tree topper that was on my husband’s and my tree. I keep several Nativity scenes on display year round, one of which is on a shelf in our family room. A few years ago, after the decorations were all put away and the kids and grandchildren had all gone back home , I looked at the Nativity set on the shelf and there stood Arial right there with Jesus and all the gang, where she remains to this day. I pray for you and your family a blessed Christmas.
Author
I guess you never know who might show up at that manger to worship the newborn King. That little drummer boy has been showing up for a lot of years with his song. Arial is probably singing for him too, Fran.
I’m sure that tree topper is a treasure of memories for you. I’m not sure I have any of our original decorations from our first Christmas tree, but I do have a few that the kids made when they were little.
No Santa’s escaping the dark recesses of the attic here, but a few angels did! 😊 Here on the MS coast there are three counties. Jackson County, where we live, does not have the marines collecting for Toys for Tots??? But we do have Santa Wears a Badge and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department has taken up the slack. Kudos to them! 😊
Author
I think it’s great when servicemen and women and local policemen and officials get involved with Christmas giving to kids. As you say, Karen, Kudos to them all. We have the Shop with a Cop here in my town and other toy drives too.
Loved the Santa stories! It’s fun to find out how others decorate for Christmas.
Author
It is fun to know about how others decorate at Christmas, and I always enjoy when I get to visit someone and see their decorations firsthand. I also enjoy those who decorate their houses and yards. I don’t, but I admire those who do. 🙂 I get to see my daughter-in-law’s decorations this year. She goes all out. I think she had 8 trees up, last count.
WOW!!! That’s a lot of trees! She must start decorating early. Are they all full size? Our tallest since Katrina is only 4.5 feet tall. Then we have three others but they are only 2 feet tall. Two on the front porch and one in the hall bath. I have a friend that has a full size in every room of the house except the kitchen and dining room. They’re privileged to have a large amount of attic space where they can all be put away with decorations in tact. They have. 9,000 + square foot house!!! That’s a lot of trees! And they each have a different theme! The family room has the traditional tree. Merry Christmas! 🎄
Author
You’re right, Karen. That is a lot of trees. Some of them are small, but they did just moved into a bigger house and she has had such fun decorating and even volunteered to host one of the extended family gatherings. One tree is plenty for me, but I do have that little tree in Frankie and Marley’s room that is so small I can put it in a box and just pull it out decorated and ready each Christmas.
What a beautiful story! It reminds me of the photo/sculpture of Santa praying over the baby Jesus.
I have collected manger scenes through the years. Now, I try to appreciate them from afar. When my children were young we had a wood manger scene complete with shepherd, sheep, magi, donkey, etc. They loved to play with the characters. Somehow baby Jesus went missing and stayed missing for a few years. One evening when Dad lay back in his recliner, Baby Jesus fell to the floor. Imagine our surprise and our delight. I still have all of the characters in this set!
If I win a book, I will add it to our local library . . . all books are donated. Thank you, Ann, for sharing your life through your stories.
Author
I’m glad you enjoyed my Santa story. I too love the manger/nativity scenes. That’s a good story about your baby Jesus. Those recliners are usually good for a few quarters and pennies, but so far I haven’t lost any figures from my wooden nativity scene. LOL. I have heard some people say you shouldn’t put the baby Jesus in the manger in those sets until Christmas morning, but I just let him be there the whole time.
I have one ornament that is special to me- an official whitehouse ornament. I don’t remember which administration or year. But it’s a horse drawn sleigh. It was a gift from a former boss.
I just pulled your book, “Scent of Lilacs” off my shelf to read for the second time. I very much enjoy your writing style; the characters are well developed and come alive for me. I was prompted to look you up and discovered your Facebook page. I look forward to reading more of your books. Have a blessed Christmas!
Author
The ornament sounds really nice, Cheryl. And it’s better than nice that you’re wanting to make a return trip to Hollyhill. That book, Scent of Lilacs, has just been released as an audio book and I’m so looking forward to maybe finding some new readers/listeners for the story. I didn’t narrate that one, but I am experimenting with narrating Hollyhill book 2, Orchard of Hope. Not sure if I’ll get my narration approved and up on Audible, but I’m going to try. Of course, I’ll have to somehow get through that revival scene at the end without boo-hooing. 🙂 Oh, and I’m so glad you found my FB page. I try to keep things fun there.
I collect snowmen but I do have a few Santas that have animals in the forest all around them that I really love.
Author
They sound neat, Janice. I better not think about them or I’ll have to be making more room on my shelves for more Santas. 🙂
Author
Nancy, I do enjoy giving away books and hearing from reading friends like you.
Caryl, I’m glad you enjoyed my Santa story.
Erin, thanks for noticing that I wanted to keep the Reason for the season in focus as I wrote about Santas.
Debit, train ornaments sound fun. I don’t know that I collect them, but I have quite a few birds and bird ornaments I put around the top of my tree. And then I have my fun dog ornaments.
I used to collect angels but gave them away. We are trying to downsize so it isn’t such a big job when we have to move to a smaller place. So I don’t collect any Christmas decorations but I do put up my nativity set and small ceramic lighted tree.
Author
Sounds as though you’ve got a sensible plan about downsizing, Joan. And now whoever got your angels will be putting them out this Christmas and remembering you and your gift. I love nativity sets. I gave one of those as a prize a couple of years ago. Maybe I’ll locate another next year.
Great thoughts – thank you for sharing! I do have a few “woodsy” type Santas that I let come out of their boxes each year and enjoy in different places around the house.
Author
So you have some escaping Santas too. Sounds as though you give them varied views of the world once they get out of the box, Joy. It’s fun to turn the house over to Christmas.
We don’t collect Santa’s but my son collects train ornaments
Fantastic tale to keep Santa in the picture, but keep the focus on Christ. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you for sharing this fun Santa story.
Nice of you to do this. Merry Christmas
Great story so love reading your articles and stories. Love your books too . Marjorie
Author
You have me smiling, Marjorie. I’m so glad you enjoy reading my stories and books. Hearing someone say that is like getting a gift. Thank you so much.
Loved your Santa story. I have a few, but my main collection is of various nativities.
Loved your Christmas at Harmony Hill Shaker book!!❤️
Author
Thank you, Darlene. I’m glad you liked my Santa tale. And I’m so glad you enjoyed Christmas at Harmony Hill. Thanks for letting me know that.
I would love to win your Christmas book!
We love our getting our ornaments out each year. Many of them my grandmother made for me when I was a child. Also others we have accumulated over the years with special meanings, and some we have made ourselves. We don’t do alot of Santa’s but we have a few.
The kids also love unpacking the manger scene and putting up the pieces.
Author
Those keepsake ornaments and the ones full of memories are the best, Amy. I missed the kids being here this year when I decorated because I like letting them set out my nativity sets. I have one glass one, one wooden one, and a tiny one. I enjoy those.
I don’t collect Santa’s but we do collect ornaments. At least one for every year since we got married in 1983.I love my tree full of memories.🎅🎄
Author
That’s a fun collection, Lisa. I often buy ornaments when I go on vacation or to somewhere special. I also have several dog ornaments. That probably won’t surprise anyone but some of them have been given to me to represent this or that dog in my life. A neighbor gave me a couple like their dogs that I sometimes fed and that often walked with me. And I put birds at the top of my tree. So I guess I collect ornaments too.