Comments on: Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus http://www.themicahmandate.org/2008/12/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:11:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Singam http://www.themicahmandate.org/2008/12/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Singam Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:20:32 +0000 http://www.themicahmandate.org/?p=915#comment-168 At the time Christianity was spread into the Old World, to achieve the twin purpose of suppressing the Old Religion as well as to achieve easy transition to the new one, Christian festivals were superimposed on ancient Pagan festivals. Easter used to be the Festival of the Spring Equinox. That's where easter bunnies and easter eggs come from. Christmas used to be the Festival of the Winter Solstice. Since old traditions continued, new traditions got added on just easily. So the kindly Saint Nicklaus soon became the familiar and fondly favourite Father Christmas. The old tradition of gift giving during Christmas in fact served to promote kindness, charity and relationships. Unfortunately, this has degenerated into a twin horror of bribery and blackmail. Adults bribe children with gifts and salve their own consciences for not being able to give more of themselves. Children demand from and blackmail adults using threats and guilt-by-comparison. And all of this is exploited by the toymakers and resellers, making Christmas a commercial orgy of gifting excess. While Santa Claus has nothing to do with the Mission of Jesus Christ, in its original spirit, Santa Claus is very much a part of Christmas. Santa does not reside at the North Pole. He resides in each one of us. It is up to us to demonstrate the spirit of Christmas by acts of kindness. Giving does not necessarily involve material gifts. At the time Christianity was spread into the Old World, to achieve the twin purpose of suppressing the Old Religion as well as to achieve easy transition to the new one, Christian festivals were superimposed on ancient Pagan festivals.

Easter used to be the Festival of the Spring Equinox. That’s where easter bunnies and easter eggs come from.

Christmas used to be the Festival of the Winter Solstice. Since old traditions continued, new traditions got added on just easily. So the kindly Saint Nicklaus soon became the familiar and fondly favourite Father Christmas.

The old tradition of gift giving during Christmas in fact served to promote kindness, charity and relationships. Unfortunately, this has degenerated into a twin horror of bribery and blackmail. Adults bribe children with gifts and salve their own consciences for not being able to give more of themselves. Children demand from and blackmail adults using threats and guilt-by-comparison. And all of this is exploited by the toymakers and resellers, making Christmas a commercial orgy of gifting excess.

While Santa Claus has nothing to do with the Mission of Jesus Christ, in its original spirit, Santa Claus is very much a part of Christmas. Santa does not reside at the North Pole. He resides in each one of us. It is up to us to demonstrate the spirit of Christmas by acts of kindness. Giving does not necessarily involve material gifts.

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