Hey Santa...

HEY SANTA! the Wilson Phillips song exclaims. In this song the main character waits for her "baby" to make it home by Christmas as he had promised to do. She wishes with all her might that Santa might just give her husband? a ride on his sleigh back to her, so that he might make it home in time for Christmas. Is that what Christmas is about? Is it just about being with those you love (or lust after?) If so, I have failed to the uttermost. If that is my hope, to be with my family, or especially with that special someone, I am to pitied far more than those couples who are merely unable to get together this Christmas.
Working at Dick's I got to hear all the latest Christmas (or maybe I should call it lack of "Christ" mas) songs. Most of the songs were pretty bad, musically, and yet we listened to them each about once every two hours (or about 4-5 times each in a work day). I don't think there was an employee who actually liked the music to which we were listening; nor was there an employee who didn't have every song memorized. And I cannot remember one single song that was played that had anything to do with Christ (though Wal-Mart's Christmas music all dealt with Christ).
And I can never forget, there is Brittany Spears' song, "Santa Can You Hear Me?" In this song Spears asks the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent man in the red suit to provide her with a lover because she seems to be the only one without a special someone (well, she's not, I personally don't even have a single prospective someone). Yet Santa cannot provide that. Even if Santa did exist, he's not all knowing, all powerful, or able to be present everywhere to meet everyone's needs and desires. Not to mention that if we truly understood the meaning of good and bad, or naughty and nice, we would realize that their is none who has lived through this year worthy of gifts. Not even Brittany Spears has been good enough.
Or how about Mariah Carey with her song, "All I Want For Christmas?" She's not concerned about presents under the tree or toys in her stocking. As she sings to her "baby" "I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know," and this would make her wish come true. I don't doubt that is the case (if the song were true, but it is just a made up song). However, Christmas in these songs (and all the others; especially "Santa Baby," which was strangely sung by a man) leaves something to be desired. Ah, it's missing a greedy desire for gifts...which most Americans have, but know that they are never satisfied when they receive the gifts anyway (and there were plenty of songs about getting gifts).
Is this what Christmas has come to? Will tons of gifts satisfy us? Is it all about having that special someone by your side? Absolutely not! While I'll be the first to admit how nice that would be, that is not at all what Christmas is about. Rather, Christmas is about the King of Israel, born circa 2000 years ago. This King was born to live a righteous life and die for the sins of all who would follow Him.
You don't believe in the miraculous virgin birth? You do not believe in God incarnate? Where's your evidence against it? I've read the worst blasts against Christianity and the claims about Christ...and I've found they do not measure up. Christian apologetics obliterates the arguments against the Christan gospel. Just seek, and you will find. I'm not saying that we should not give each other gifts, but let us separate that from Christ. Let us celebrate Christ and the giving of the Spirit--the gift of God.