I was reading a story the other day about what it's like at Christmas for people (and their families) who have been out of work for long periods of time. One person called this time of year "a sort of funhouse mirror that exaggerates the divide of the haves and the have-nots." The woman added, "I have to marvel at commercials that feature big red bows on brand new cars and wonder to myself if someone out there could really buy a car for someone as a gift?" I have to admit that, seeing those same commercials, I have thought the same thing.

We took our a car ride last night to one of those "music-accompanied" Christmas light shows decorating someone's home. One of the songs in the show was "Santa Claus is Coming to Town":

You better watch out, you better not cry; you better not pout, I'm telling you why - Santa Claus is comin' to town!
He's making a list, and checking it twice; gonna find out who's naughty or nice -- Santa Claus is comin' to town!

I remember, as a kid, being told that Santa Claus was spying on me and making a list...a list that determined not only naughtiness and nicesness, but, more importantly, how many (or few) gifts I would receive! And so there were a few times when I did something wrong and wondered if I would pay for it on Christmas Day.

I must admit though that, until I read this article, I hadn't thought about all the implications of that song for those suddenly poorer in this world -- especially the kids in those families. One man said: "I'm wondering whether to let my kids go on believing in Santa at all. I don't want to ruin their joy and break their hearts, but it is better than them feeling that they are bad or not worthy when they don't get much for Christmas."

You see this is the downside of the materialism of Christmas. And it doesn't just hit those kids expecting stuff from Santa; it hits some adults, too. One fellow said he's spending the holiday alone because he's ashamed about being unable to afford gifts. "I cannot watch any TV shows or movies that are Christmas-themed. I canot go into any stores during the season because it hurts to see all the Christmas gift wrap, decorations and shoppers. If I am watching TV and a Christmas-related commercial comes on, I immediately have to mute the TV and turn away."

These quotes show how we can allow society to teach their version of "self-worth" by using Christmas as one of its most effective teachers -- if, that is, we slavishly follow our culture's cues about what makes Christmas special. Am I more worthy than you because I can give and/or receive more toys than you? Is my sense of "feeling justified" in life dependent upon my bank account, or the size of my purchase power? For Christians, our answer is "No." But why is it "no"?

Well, the words of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" sketch out very well one of the two ways we can live our lives -- by Works or by Grace. A "works" orientation to life is a life in which we constantly judge one another, and where anything done less than what was expected is a failure. And it takes no great jump in imagination to go from Santa checking his list to God checking HIS list -- to where, based on our "works," God's "naughty" go to hell and His "nice" go to heaven.

But what Luther found in Jesus Christ was a God who does not keep lists of our sins, but instead a God who wants, above all, a relationship of love and forgiveness with us. God's greatest gift to us -- Jesus dying on the cross for our sins -- was an event that seemed, to the people watching Jesus, like no gift of all: the God that Jesus worshiped had seemingly failed. But that surface view was not the Truth -- for when God raised Jesus from the dead, Easter explained the truth of Good Friday.

The surface view of Christmas is MORE GIFTS ON THAT DAY = MORE LOVE & MORE WORTH. The real view of Christmas takes into account all the other days of the year. My daddy loves me when he's unemployed not by putting us into deeper debt with more gifts, but by sacrificing his own wants to make sure that I have a roof over my head, food enough to eat, and schooling for a good future.

The saying goes that "the best things in life are free," and one gal in the artlcle proved that by saying that instead of gifts, she and her family are writing each other a series of love letters that reveal their hearts -- where true Christmas Spirit lives. For we live not by the law, but by the Spirit of love (1st Corinthians 3:4-6). Let's be careful at Christmas when it comes to this "naughty and nice" business. For God loves us whether we are naughty or nice -- or neither. May we Christians be careful to say the same about our love for others -- that it is an unconditional love -- in how we give gifts during this or any other Christmastime.

David Hewitt