As children, my brother and I eagerly awaited the televised Christmas cartoons and animated shows. I even remember when my mother shopped for a new television, he and I sat on the floor in the furniture store, glued to A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Caricaturing Christmas
But the best was (and still is) the 1974 The Year Without a Santa Claus, with its jazzy Miser brothers’ theme songs. In that one, Santa Claus was sick and tired; therefore, he announced he would cancel Christmas that year. He eventually rescinded his decree after receiving confirmation from children around the world that they valued him. The Grinch also tried to steal, otherwise cancel, Christmas.
First, let me say that all these fun shows end with the inspiring message that Christmas is more than packages, bows, and bags[1]. It is a season of extending peace, joy, and kindness. They all acknowledge that we should express love and goodwill toward each other.
But many of these shows rely on Santa Claus to save Christmas. While Santa Claus embodies the loving characteristics of the true Christmas celebrant, Santa Claus can’t control Christmas.
Celebrating Christmas
Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birthday. Can a day of birth be canceled? While many of us would like to ignore our birthdays as we advance in age, we can’t deny that our birth day exists. Our birthday is a recorded fact, just as Jesus’ was. We can’t cancel a fact (as much as some leaders would like to). As believers in Jesus, we celebrate the fact of his birth. We praise his birth to honor his purpose and mission for coming to us. Wouldn’t want to celebrate, not cancel, Christmas?
Canceling Christmas
What would happen if we could cancel Christmas? Let’s consider why Jesus came. He came to die for our salvation. During his life on earth, he modeled how we should live a life worthy of being called a child of God. His death opened our direct access to God. His resurrection gave us eternal life. So, canceling Jesus’ birthday cancels our salvation. Canceling his birthday cancels the kinship we have with God. Canceling that birthday leaves us without the bread of life. If we cancel Christmas, we become a lost and hopeless people.
Consecrating Christmas
Fortunately, the Good News of Christmas[2] has endured. We have eternal life through Jesus because he was born. Our celebration of Christmas is not predicated on Santa’s sleigh ride or the Grinch’s heart growing three sizes or some magic snow that resurrects a puddle of water. Our celebration of Christmas rests in knowing the saving power of Jesus. Even if we receive not a single wrapped package or card, we have received a gift greater than any person on earth can give us—a life wrapped in the arms of God. This is why we refuse to cancel Christmas. We want to honor our Savior, the one who thought enough of each of us to descend to earth for our souls.
I will continue to be entertained by those animated shows for as long as I can. But I know that my true Christmas fun is accepting the gift of Jesus.
Jesus is the reason for this and every season, so keep CHRIST in Christmas and in your hearts!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
[1] Adapted from How the Grinch Stole Christmas
[2] Did you know that the word Christmas comes from the Old English Crīstes maesse or Christ’s mass, an 11th-century service to commemorate and honor the birth of Jesus Christ?
I love the Christmas season. All the colors, the movies, and the special presentations, locally and those televised. I want to make all these things an accessory to the real reason all of it is possible. Following Thanksgiving my focus is on the celebration of Christ’s birth. The first Sunday of Advent really gets that good feeling going. Listening to related sermons, studying the related Word in Bible study, and singing the Christmas hymns. So-o-o good.
“Jesus, Jesus, oh what a wonderful child. Jesus, Jesus, so lowly, meek and mild.
New life, new hope, new joy He brings; Won’t you listen to the angels sing?
Glory, Glory, Glo-o-ry! to the Newborn King!”
To piggy-back on your iteration: You can’t cancel a birthday! Especially the birthday of God’s only Son.
Thanks, Sabrina.
Yes we don’t look at it the way you have described it. We really can’t cancel ❌ Christmas. Thank you Lord for what you have done, so that I can live. Amen 🙏. Also Lord thank you for using BRI for enlighten me to ways and mean to help me explore my mind ☺️. Don’t stop BRI I always need a helping hand with a unique mind for my work down here in this place. I see different 😇. Be Blessed and I am wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a Awesome New Year 🥰!
Thank you Auntie and Paulette for always providing a comment and your insight into the post. I appreciate you.
Thank you for this beautiful piece Sabrina, because if it wasn’t from him dying for our sins, then the question would be, “Where would we be? Canceling Christmas? OMG, you expressed that truth beautifully.
Without Him dying for our sins, we would be lost—without hope, without redemption, and without a way back to the Father. Because of His sacrifice, we have grace, forgiveness, and eternal life. And at the same time, a powerful reminder of how much we are loved.
Your words reflect deep faith and gratitude. 🙏 Again, thank you. Keep writing. I enjoy reading your post.🌹
Thank you for reminding us to Celebrate the Birth of Jesus.