Do you suppose that if we were to stop celebrating Christmas, He would get angry and chastise us for not worshiping His Son? I believe the opposite is true, that when we worship Christmas, when we put up a tree, or colored lights (like the ancient Romans) or go to the mall to have our picture taken with Santa, It really disappoints Him, maybe even angers Him. Can you imagine Gods wrath upon the Israelites when they worshiped pagan idols. Moses was so angry for them bowing to a golden calf that he broke the original stone tablets that held the Ten Commandments. God was very angry as well because He told Moses what His people had been up to while Moses was up on Mount Sinai.

    That brings me to another completely new subject. Where did Santa Claus come from and what does he have to do with Jesus Christ? Lets see if I can explain this. St. Nicholas was a Catholic Bishop around the 4th century A.D. who died December 6th, 345 or 352. He is reported to have done quite a few miracles during his life and after his death. He was well loved in Asia Minor and His benevolence was wide spread. Since the time when the Catholics made him a saint, He has come to be known as Santa Claus, at least in America. As the stories of the real Bishop Nicholas spread throughout Europe he became a Saint and the legend grew. He is always called Saint Nicholas everywhere I have ever read about him, never Bishop or Father Nicholas. He is the most highly honored of all the saints. After the Protestant Reformation in Northern Germany, Krist Kindl, the Christ Child, replaced St. Nicholas. Santa Claus is non-Christian and is based on the Germanic god Thor who rode on a chariot drawn by goats named Cracker and Cruncher. Do you see how the story was made up about Santa and the sleigh with eight reindeer, plus Rudolph!

   12/23/83 USA TODAY article about Christmas:

   A broad element of English Christianity still considered Christmas celebration a pagan blasphemy. The Puritans, Baptists, Quakers, Presbyterians, Calvinists and other denominations brought this opposition to early New England and strong opposition to the holiday lasted in America until the middle of the 18th century.

    As early as the 1600's, the Puritans would not allow the putrefaction of their faith by St. Nicholas nor by gift giving nor singing of carols. Here is what the early Puritan's thought of Christmas.

   "For preventing disorders, arising in several places within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other communities, to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county."

From the records of the General Court,
Massachusetts Bay Colony
May 11, 1659

And here from a local preacher in early America:

   "The generality of Christmas-keepers observe that festival after such a manner as is highly dishonourable to the name of Christ. How few are there comparatively that spend those holidays (as they are called) after an holy manner. But they are consumed in Compotations, in Interludes, in playing at Cards, in Revellings, in excess of Wine, in mad Mirth ..."

   Does this reflect anything in association with Christ? Not even close!

   With all the opposition for Christmas the Dutch still brought Santa Claus to America in the early 1800's as Sinter Klaas. Shortly thereafter Clement C. Moore wrote a poem for his children, "The night before Christmas", which has immortalized Santa in America. Thomas Nast created a likeness of Santa Claus which people have looked upon with love and reverence ever since. I wonder if Clement or Thomas believed the Bible where God says have no other gods before me. Humh. And Coca-Cola made him an icon for their product.

    It was 1885 before Christmas was recognized as a federal holiday in America. When someone says let's put the Christ back in Christmas, they really have not studied their history of the holiday at all. What they should say is let's get the Christ out of Christmas and respect Him, as He should be.

   The Greeks had their St. Nicholas. "Christkindlein" became Kriss Kringle in Mid Europe. In Italy and England they call him Father Christmas. They are the same jolly old rotund man who gives gifts to good little children. There is a story in the history of St. Nicholas that says he brought some children back from the dead and saved a political prisoner from the blade of an executioner.

   In 1997 an artist created a painting of Santa Claus on a cross, some say in a protest to Santa replacing Christ as the most important figure in the Christmas season. It drew a lot of criticism from religious groups. Maybe he was trying to say, "Is Christmas for Christians?" I have some more observations to make, which is that Santa and Satan seem ridiculously close with the same letters and both being into red so much. Move the n to the end of his name and you have Satan. Then rearrange Claus and you have Lucas, another name for Lucifer. They are both major deceptions. Admit it, you have to lie to kids when you tell them Santa is going to bring them something for Christmas. Don't try and tell me its just an innocent game or frivolity. It's a lie.

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