Happy Birthday Jesus!

In a recent conversation with my good friend Cheryl, I said something along the lines about how I wish this whole Santa thing didn't exist. Well, not really, but... I mean, I get the joy of Christmas morning and having the gifts and the anticipation, but what Christmas has become as the adult who is supposed to pull that off is overwhelming hard. My husband and I grew up with two very different versions of Santa and trying to mesh those two is very difficult. His parents were over the top. Santa was very real. I grew up so poor that Santa was never really going to bring us those elaborate gifts that kids ask for, but never really need. I am pretty sure my siblings and I just figured it out along the way and understood. We continued to celebrate Jesus' birthday all the same. My husband had to be sat down in 5th grade and told what had really been going on all those years. Devastating.  Tears and all. So, I struggle on how big to do this whole thing. What to say. What to make up. What to really push the envelope with on the truth.
Then I read this....
http://theradicallife.org
About how Santa really was  a Saint and really is alive and well in heaven and his story is true. In essence we have just become bad story tellers. It's a good read.
Still though, when kids grow up and Santa fades, what do we want to still be real for them? This is where I firmly believe that Christmas has to be celebrated as Jesus' birthday first and foremost and then all the others are secondary. I think we all forget this sometimes. I mean really why does this holiday of Christmas exist in the first place? I am trying to make sure my family knows the underlying reason of the season at a small age, so that when they are older, the truth will always be that we are celebrating the birth of Christ.

Okay, so here was my recent reminder of why we are having "Happy Birthday Jesus" at our house.
At 10:45 a.m. we have both kids dressed in Christmas finest to go see Santa. We drive to Cabella's where we have went in years past, talking up the awesomeness of this visit to see Santa, to be told that Santa left at 11:00. Okay. We call Bass Pro. Santa will be there until 8:00 p.m. We head that way to be handed a card that says to come back at 7:30 p.m. because Santa is all booked up. It's  only 1:00 for goodness sakes. We leave head across the street to Grapevine Mills Mall, with this almost 3 year old who needs to see Santa and a 6 month old who needs a bottle. When the "Santa Express Train" almost runs me over, I am pretty sure I lost sight of the 'tis the season part of Christmas and we went home. We ate a late lunch, took a late nap, regrouped and headed back to our wait time at Bass Pro at 7:30. We met Santa. After 8 hours, we finally met Santa.
Here I what I have to show for it:

Two kids on Santa's lap. Neither are smiling and one isn't even looking. Now with all seriousness, I mean really, how cute is this Santa?! Perfect.

 

Madison told him she wanted a balloon. He made her repeat it as if he didn't hear her correctly. Asked, "Really?!" and laughed. She later told me as we were leaving the store that she forgot to tell Santa that she really wanted a bicycle and a wagon. :-)

After this very long day, we come home to have a late dinner. I am preparing something fast and furious, Madison has made this:

"Look Mommy, everyone came to see the baby Jesus."

 

Yes. Yes they did sweet girl. What if... Just what if people today could go through that much trouble to see Jesus on Christmas as they do for Santa? Just what if...

So, we'll continue to light our candles and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. Because when the red suit and beard fade into the teen years, Jesus' love and Mercy will continue to shine upon us. Hopefully, we'll still gather around to see the baby Jesus.

Merry, Merry Christmas.

Happy, Happy Birthday Jesus!