Ho Ho No

It's Christmas Eve, and no, my kids are NOT excited for Santa to come. Can I tell you how much I wish you would quit asking?

We made a very intentional decision while pregnant the first time that Christmas in our house would be about CHRIST. 

Yes, they know who Santa is. I think they parallel the modern day "Santa" to Mickey Mouse. He's fun and all, but he's "a joke".  They've heard the story of St Nicholas, and think he had some good ideas! They know that each person gets to believe what he/she chooses. They've been walked through what it sounds like to respect someone's beliefs that are different from their own. 

If at some point one of them chooses to believe in Santa, there's not much I can do to stop that. However, they know where Snuggs and I stand. 

It hadn't surprised me or bothered me much until we went to church tonight. At the Christmas Eve service, my children were asked seven separate times if they were excited for Santa to come. Guess how many times anyone asked anything about Jesus? 

NONE!!!  

AT CHURCH! 

It's hard enough to "go against the world" by choosing to celebrate CHRISTmas instead of SANTAmas. I want, so badly, for the questions AT church to be about Jesus. 

Ask them how they shared the love of Christ while we waited for this night.  Ask about our nightly advent readings. Ask how they served another in Christ's image this season. Ask what they are excited to GIVE as a gift. Ask how we will celebrate Jesus' birthday tomorrow. Ask if we have a nativity, if it is to touch or just to look at, if the baby Jesus is there already or if we are waiting for Him. Ask what they sacrified in order to focus more on Him and loving others and less on themselves. Ask if their Daddy gets to be home with us or gets to help other people on Christmas. But, honestly, for the Love of Christ, don't ask my kids if they are excited for Santa in the middle of worship.