“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11NKJV).
In 1965, an exasperated and overwhelmed Charlie Brown asked a question that has been asked for over two thousand years: “What is the meaning of Christmas?” Charles Shultz, the creator of the syndicated cartoon Peanuts, had Linus give the reply, and a national television audience equal to 50% of all television sets in America heard clearly what all the fuss and celebration is about.
In an interesting twist of unintended consequences, sales of aluminum Christmas trees in the United States fell off significantly in the two years after the show first appeared. Putting two and two together, it seems that a collective conscious of America may have been pricked by the Charlie Brown show.
My parents had an aluminum Christmas tree in the 60’s, and my memories of the tree are not dimmed by the Charlie Brown Christmas phenomenon. I absolutely loved lying underneath the silvered frond-like branches, surrounded by wrapped presents, and watching the tree change colors as the three-color light underneath the tree quietly whirred around and around.
In child-like wonder, I remember thinking about the presents under the tree and those still to arrive on Christmas Eve, but there was much more going on in my mind. There was mystery in Christmas, and there always has been. Even Mary did not fully comprehend everything going on around her. Luke records, “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19 ESV).
In 1897, an editorial appeared in The (New York) Sun, a New York City newspaper at the time, concerning whether or not Santa Claus existed. The now famous editorial by Francis Pharcellus Church resoundingly answered, “Yes, there is a Santa Claus!” The language of Mr. Church’s editorial is remarkable to read in light of the debate here in our century over the political correctness of keeping Christ in Christmas at all! Santa Claus, it seems, is no longer the question.
Listen to what Mr. Church had to say about Santa:
“Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except that they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s are little.”
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.”
Over 100 years later, the words of Mr. Church should be read with Jesus in mind instead of Santa Claus (“Yes, Virginia, there is a Jesus!”) and remind us, just as Linus in 1965, that Christmas without Christ is nothing at all. The awesome display of God entering the world in human flesh deserves celebration.
Christmas tells us that Jesus once was a baby, just as we were. He grew under the care of his earthly parents into a boy, then an adolescent and finally, a man. He ate and drank, and he celebrated the joyful events of life. Even though he was in the very nature God, he did not escape the hurts and trials of life. Rather, he was tempted just as we are and he was betrayed by his friends.
In spite of this, he endured and persevered, trusting the Father with his whole heart. He wept at death in the world, and met his own death with resolute courage. In the end, he was physically beaten and abused. He bled and he died.
Through all of the times of his life, Jesus Christ loved the Father, and He loved you and me. His death and resurrection are gifts to last a lifetime—eternity really. Because He lives, I will live, too. Hallelujah! Merry Christmas!
Note: Research on Charlie Brown and “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” came from Wikipedia.