I try to avoid the secular trappings of Christmas.

During December I prefer to focus on Advent, praying the poetry of Isaiah and Zephaniah, marveling at the message of John the Baptist, and singing the gorgeous Advent music. But “secular Xmas,” as I like to call it, is so overwhelmingly pervasive, hitting us like a sledgehammer on TV commercials, in newspaper ads, and at the shopping mall. I avoid getting a Christmas tree until December 24, and then I leave the decorations up until the Baptism of the Lord in January. Despite my best Advent intentions, I still have Christmas parties to attend, gift shopping to do, and Christmas music to rehearse with my choirs.

My friends think I’m weird and don’t understand my Christmas hesitancy. “Bah, humbug” is indeed a tempting response. It’s easy to be cynical.

So there I was, alone in my seasonal tug-of-war at the local grocery store, which just happened to be hosting a “Breakfast with Santa” event that morning for children. I balked. No way was I going to walk in on yet another “secular Xmas” happening. But I really needed eggs and bread so into the store I went. I was immediately charmed.

This was not one of those “confessional” Santa lines where kids rattle off their wish lists to the man in the red suit. It was just children with their parents, eating breakfast as Santa went from table to table to visit with them. And, oh, the smiles on their faces! One cute little girl was so happy, smiling with delight as Santa sat next to her. She hugged him and laughed and looked up at him with eyes wide with wonder. It brought tears to my eyes.

I thought back to when I was 6 years old. My family lived in a housing project and I grew up in poverty. One year, we were so poor that we didn’t even have a tree. On Christmas morning my siblings and I ran downstairs expectantly but there were no gifts. My mother was waiting for us. Hindsight makes me think that she was close to tears.

“Santa Claus had to bring your presents to Auntie Edna’s house (she was a friend of my mom’s). We’re going there right now.”

I was puzzled, but I trusted my mom and off we went to Auntie Edna’s. To our delight, Santa Claus was waiting at our friend’s house and he personally gave each kid in my family a present. Just seeing Santa and receiving a gift from him more than made up for not having Christmas at our apartment.

Another year, when I was ten, my mom gave me $20 on a cold December morning. “Honey, go over to the drug store and buy some Christmas presents for your brothers and sisters. You’re old enough to be Santa now.” It was then that I understood what Santa Claus was all about.

Christmas is for children – and for the child in all of us. If we get jaded by the consumerism of the holidays, perhaps we need to look at Christmas once again through the hopeful eyes of a little child. After all, it was as a child that God chose to first walk among us. And, as Jesus said, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter into it.”

Merry Christmas! And God bless us, everyone!