CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON NOT ONLY OF REJOICING BUT OF REFLECTION.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

Christmas can be a stressful time for some but for others they wait in anticipation. We all celebrate Christmas in a different way. Some of us gather on the beach with prawns and salads. Some of us gather in parks, playing cricket and reclining under the trees. Some of us gather in homes crammed with friends and relatives, wearing silly hats and reading awful jokes from Christmas bon bons. Some of us gather with others who have no-one to celebrate Christmas with.

St Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santa? How did all of this start from a celebration that is meant to remind us of the ultimate gift of Christ? St Nicholas was a bishop who lived in the fourth century in Myra (Turkey). He was a rich man from inheritance after his parents died at a young age and left him everything. He had a reputation as a kind man for always being generous and helping the poor and often handing out gifts to people who needed them at different times.

There are several legends about Nicholas. The custom of hanging up stockings to put gifts in is one of many and it goes something like this. There was a poor man with three daughters, and he couldn’t afford to help pay for the weddings when they were announced. Nicholas heard of this and dropped a few bags of gold pennies down the man’s chimney every now and then each time the news broke about another marriage. The coins landed in a stocking that was sitting by the fire to dry. The father waited one night to see who this kind man was that was dropping gold coins down the chimney and was surprised when he found it was Nicholas. Nicholas begged the old man not to tell anyone but eventually the word got out and every time someone received a gift in the town, they thought it might be from Nicholas.

Because of his selflessness and generosity, he was later named a Saint. So how did St Nicholas go from being St Nick to Santa Clause? In the 16th century, the stories and traditions of St Nicholas and gift giving became unpopular, but the mystery of secret gift giving continued. In the UK instead of calling him St Nicholas they started calling him Father Christmas or Old Man Christmas. In France he was known as Pere Noel. In Austria and Germany he was Christkind and in the USA he was Kris Kringle. It was the Dutch though that moulded St Nicholas and Kris Kringle which became sinterklaas, which we now know as Santa Claus.

Each day of our lives we are called to give thanks and appreciate the gift which is offered to us. At this time of year, we remember the birth of Jesus Christ above all. After all, salvation did not drop down the chimney like a blanket on an unsuspecting world, covering all with its warmth and security. The gift of Christ rather, came in the form of a gift which must be accepted and ‘unwrapped’ in order to be fully appreciated. Salvation came in human form as a person who must be welcomed, loved, heeded and followed. Given that focus then, all subsequent gift giving and receiving should be understood as a reflection of and a response to the ultimate gift that we remember on Christmas day. The Birth of Christ Himself. So as Christmas approaches at rapid speeds, and the dreaded questions arrive about the life of Santa, don’t forget about our good friend St Nicholas and all that he contributed to the legend and the origins of our great friend Santa Claus. His work could be likened to ours here at the St Vincent de Paul Society and other generous people out there in society that see a need and do something about it.

Also, on this day we think about those that may not be with their families, those fighting fires, working in hospitals, those keeping emergency services running and all those away from home, transporting goods all around the world. We must make do with the simple wish that somehow, they too will be blessed this Christmas even though they will be away from their loved ones. We also remember those that have nowhere to go, no one to spend Christmas with and those who are just alone at this time of year because of the situation they find themselves in. The birth of Jesus, of course, was also in a troubled time. His people were out of home and taking refuge among strangers. The Son of God was born into danger and soon He was exiled again. It seems God wanted us to be clear that whatever life throws at us, He will be there in it with us.

Christmas is not all sleigh bells and stockings. It’s about how we find Christ and God’s peace with us in the chaos. At this time, our community services, our programs, our Catholic communities built around our parishes and schools are trying to support those in need in various ways. Christmas says we must do this because God is with us. We must also be with one another. So, when you see someone and wish them a Happy Christmas, a Christmas greeting really means “I hope and pray you have peace and joy in your life, and I’m here with you”.

From: Firewood for the soul, vol. 1, A Reflexion Book for the Whole Vincentian Family
St. Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland, Australia.
Text by: Samantha Hill.