Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Becoming Santa Claus

December 6, 2012

Happy St. Nicholas Day all! Yes, the shoes were put by the “fireplace” last night with Christmas wish lists inside. St. Nicholas came early this morning with a bag of chocolate coins for each child and the lists taken away to be fulfilled on Christmas Eve. It is a lovely tradition and one which I wish I had embraced much earlier in our marriage. Oh well – it wasn’t too late to start and the kids really enjoy it. We will also enjoy stollens today (get them at Aldi) as a treat. I pick either a spice cake or the stollens because St. Nicholas was from Myra which I believe was in Turkey and spices abound in that region. If you want a really good book to read on the life of St. Nicholas you can’t beat this one. It is unfortunately out of print, but if you are lucky enough to find one get it. I bought it for $10 years ago at Wal-Mart and so glad I picked it up.

St. Nicholas became Santa Claus through the ages and through traditions brought here by immigrants from other countries. He is not just the giver of gifts and a great help to those in need – he is a Christian first and foremost. His faith was what brought him to sainthood – faith in a time when Christians were often persecuted yet he hung on. The giving was part of his nature – who he was – and so it was no big deal to him. To us, anonymous giving can sometimes be difficult, for our ego desires the kudos. But if you can do it, there is nothing funner than giving to someone unexpectedly and without any expectation of repayment or thanks. Don’t we as parents do this for our children every Christmas? Let’s extend that to others as much as we can then! Even if all you can do is pull 2 cans of food out of your cupboard to share with someone else in need you are still doing the work of Christ living in St. Nicholas/Santa Claus.

Now for a story – I am going to share a few this month as my children and I have some that will go down in the annals of HackFam Christmas stories. I don’t think I ever shared this one (and if I have forgive me), but it’s one of the best stories of giving and love I can share.

Back in 2008 when the bottom dropped out of the economy and many people were staring down the barrel at an empty Christmas, I had all but given up hope for something good for our family. It was the beginning of our last round of financial troubles and Christmas was looking bleak. However I was determined to light a candle and not curse the darkness. We made some cookies and I spent more time in prayer that Advent than usual – nothing like troubles to bring you closer to God. The children knew it wasn’t going to be a big Christmas (if we had anything at all) and some of them weren’t going to be content to let that be.

My son Jeff (who is one of many Christmas lunatics in this house) loves the tree above everything else. It just isn’t Christmas if there is no tree. Well, not having a tree that year wasn’t an option. He had just recently started working for Walmart and decided that our house needed some Christmas spirit in it even if there was nothing else. So, he bought a tree and while I slept upstairs he brought it in to the living room (with the help of Dad) and set it up complete with a Santa hat on top as the star. It would be the first thing I would see in the morning. And see it I did and I cried many tears.

So, how did the rest of that Christmas work out you ask? Very nicely! We received gift cards from an anonymous donor and my other adult child sent money from 1500 miles away (it was from Santa and showed up mysteriously on my pillow one night – he had help from that other elf known as Chris.) We didn’t have a lot but what we had was enough and the joy of the giving that was shared by so many of our family that year brightened our day beyond belief. We still talk about that Christmas and I think it will always be remembered.

There you have it – a Christmas Story as good as O Henry’s and one that will always remain in my heart. And here’s that famous tree :-).

2 comments
Comments

On December 6, 2012 at 5:46 PM, dxprog said:

Mmm... dat Christmas feel

On December 10, 2012 at 4:54 PM, Val said:

That is a wonderful story!

Leave a Comment

Click here to cancel reply.

Name *

E-mail Address *
(will not be published)

Website

Comment

Δ