Santa Claus

                 I get Santa Claus. He delivers gifts. At least he did ,once upon a time. Now depending on what we tell the kids, he still does in some houses and in some, the kids are just grown up enough to  shut up for the sake of their younger siblings. Then there are some in denial!!!!Not naming names.

                 When I say I get Santa Claus, it has been a process. In India, we have pink Santa Claus masks that a brave soul has to put on along with a sweltering red outfit with a pillow stuffed in to make for a shapely belly. We don't expect him to leave gifts under the tree. He is a  special guest. He shows up at 'Christmas celebrations in a church or a school! The 'Santa Claus' is an event in India!! While the crowd awaits, there would be updates on where he is. New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and finally he'd show up in our town! WOOHOO!!! Depending on what is available, he'd show up on the most available mode of transportation that minute. An auto rickshaw, a car, a cycle rickshaw or even a stray donkey. On the sight of this scary looking man with a pink mask and white cotton that constitutes a moustache and a straggly beard, the kids and even some adults usually flee the scene in horror. The children scream in fear and it gets worse when he comes to hold the babies. So that was Santa Claus growing up....for me. Santa Claus did not translate into gifts. In fact, there were never gifts in Christmas. There was church on Christmas day ,a new set of clothes and a good meal. Simple! Affordable!

               Now in the United States, I get it....well, kinda'. Santa Claus is a HUGE deal. Not to be taken lightly. Everyone LOVES Santa. No matter how many dollars you spend and how many hours you spend buying those gifts, the credit curtly goes to Santa. My kids, at the last minute, would say, "Just put it on the list, mom. Santa will get it" Sure! why not. The 'poor guy' thought he was done buying gifts for our family a week ago, now he will have to dash off to the store. Did you catch the pun? you know with dasher and all, totally intended. And soon enough, the kids grow and sorta figure why the gifts are wrapped in the same wrapping paper we got last week or why mom screams at them not to look at the back of the van.

           I caught myself, a few years ago, bending backwards trying to insist to my curious child about Santa coming over on Christmas eve. Why do I do this to myself? When I insist on teaching honesty and truth to my kids, why do I  hold on to this non-fact and insist it is a fact? I don't know. Maybe I do want to treasure that secret of magic. Till it lasts anyway!

           Of course, I don't want to ignore the elf on the shelf! But one of my friends had warned me not to get her started on the elf that has been driving her crazy. So I will let that pass.

 

 

Christmas

               Christmas is in the air, in case you haven't noticed. All the radio and TV stations have nothing but Christmas songs and programs on. From ugly sweater parties to secret santa, it is a huge countdown, really! 

               Suddenly Christmas is affordable. As total suckers for the commercialization of the festival, I believe we have become inadvertent victims of  the retail industry's manipulation. Christmas has gone from celebrating the birth of Jesus to passifying our material needs under the facade of gift giving.  I, for one has totally embraced this for a fact. I even have a list that I want, let alone what my family wants. I finalized the list in October. How did I get this way?

        What happened to the times when Christmas was all about Jesus and a new set of clothes and the best Christmas meal-biriyani. 

That was all it was when I grew up in India. 

They are beautiful memories. The advent days dotted with Christmas celebrations, opening every window in the advent calendar, mailing Christmas cards, carol rounds, shopping for your Christmas outfit, asking your mother, who was coming over for the Christmas meal? Oh, and we would order Christmas sweets-ladoos and mysore baghs and mixture that will shared with all the neighbors in your street. We were never big on Christmas trees but we always hung a star outside of the house to signify the star the shone where Jesus was born.

            On Christmas day, church was at 5 in the morning. We will have to go early to find a spot. One of my favorite memories of the past was being decked in my new silk saree, walking to church and breathing  in the aroma of jasmine flower strands that were used the decorate the church. Life was simple back then. Christmas meant Jesus' birth and celebrating him.

           I miss that simplicity.   

           Now we buy gifts and give to friends and relatives, with the receipt, in case they might want to return it. They convince you they love it and both of you avoid each other in the Kohl's return section the next morning! We groan at the thought of shopping for our picky kids and husband. We groan at the thought of your husband buying the wrong gift for us. We groan at gifts being too expensive. In the end Christmas has become a big groan.

           I just wish I am able to refuse stress to rule me, recapture Christmas this year and celebrate my Lord - the Prince of Peace.

          Having said that, 2020 has had its curveballs. Tremendous Loss of lives, innumerable loss of livelihoods, loss of relationships and my own huge personal loss of a family gathering in India. 2020 was not all loss.....I have gained perspective on all the things unnecessary(shoes, clothes, makeup), gained an understanding of greed (from the panic buyers), selfishness (from those who were deaf to the pleas of mask wearing and social distancing).

          I am mad and disappointed about so many things that could have been. 

         But I also believe our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace,  is right here among us calling on us to get out and help.