Christmas is my favorite holiday. I enjoy everything about it —except maybe paying for so many gifts.
But looking back, it’s all been worth it. I can’t think of anything I’d ever change.
I well remember my worst Christmas. When I was little, my parents would take me and my siblings downtown to meet Santa Claus. We’d sit on his lap, take a candy cane from him, and tell him what we wanted for Christmas.
I vividly remember the first time I told him I’d love to have a pony for Christmas. He agreed to bring me a pony, and then he did his “ho, ho, ho” routine.
When I got up Christmas morning, there was no pony in sight. As I thought more, I realized nothing was under the Christmas tree I’d asked Santa for.
I couldn’t understand it. My parents told me Santa would bring me the presents I asked for. Of course, I believed them.
At school, we were having some kind of Christmas party, and they were talking about Santa Claus coming down the chimney to put presents under the tree and in the stockings hung by the fireplace.
I didn’t think too much of it at the time. That Christmas Eve, as we were getting our Christmas tree all “holidayed” up, I felt that something was missing with our decorations.
Then, it hit me rather strongly.
“Dad,” I cried in alarm. He looked at me and said, “What’s wrong?”
I looked at him angrily and asked, “Where’s the chimney?”
With a curious look, he responded, “What are you talking about?”
“It’s beginning to make sense,” I seriously said to my father. “I now know what’s wrong with our Christmas. I now know why I haven’t got my pony.”
My dad had no idea what I was talking about and asked me to explain.
“This week in school they were telling us all about Christmas and Santa Claus and Rudolph the red nose reindeer. One of the things they told us was Santa comes down the chimney to bring his gifts.”
I paused for a moment and then continued, “So, that’s why I haven’t had my pony for Christmas. Dad, where is our chimney?”
My dad was momentarily confused and had no idea how to respond to my query.
Thinking back over that now, I couldn’t help but laugh. My father had a hard time explaining to me why we didn’t need a chimney for Christmas.
As I reflected on this, I thought that many things in life need sorting out. We believe something and then find out it wasn’t the truth.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
— John 8: 31-33
The truth about Jesus and His birth sets us free, and that truth can only be found in the Word of God.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected]
