Fiction

Day 108. Fiction.

The day after Christmas. Most families spent the day together: exchanging gifts, enjoying massive amount of food. Laughter from the adults and lots of smiles from the kids as they unwrap the gifts Santa left overnight. Some families don't "do" Santa, for fear it will blur the religious story, what with the shiny ornaments and electronic toys not being able to compete with a baby and some sheep. The story of Saint Nicholas, if told properly, doesn't take away from the Saviour's birth, but highlights the goodness in mankind.

If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats. Richard Bach, Illusions.

Saint Nicholas was born in what at the time was ancient Greece, but has since become part of Turkey. He was born to a wealthy family, and his parents encouraged him to become a devout Christian. Although they died when he was young, he remembered their teachings and followed Jesus' words: "Sell what you own and give the money to the poor."

As a young Bishop, he used his whole inheritance to aid the poor, the sick, the needy. As the Bishop of Myra, he was known for his love of children, as well as sailing. Unfortunately, under the Roman Emperor  Diocletian, Christians were persecuted, and Nicholas was imprisoned. Nicholas was later exiled, and until his death in Myra on December 6, 343 AD.

Stories of his silent crusade to help children were told, as well as his giving of gifts to them in times of need. He helped a man secure a dowry for his daughter by making donations of bags of gold coins which were tossed into the man's window and landed in the children's shoes. Thus, the tradition of placing goodies in stockings was born. December 6th became known as Saint Nicholas Day, and he was also known afterwards as the patron Saint of sailors. The day gradually moved closer to the Christian birth date of Christ, but the early Advent exchange of gifts is still practiced in Europe.

So you see, Saint Nicholas, or Santa as he is more commonly known, isn't such a drain on the Christmas Day story of Jesus as most fear. Saint Nicholas was a protector of children and giver of gifts, not some guy dressed in a baggy suit at the mall. They may look like characters in a story, but they represent someone very real.

Lesson One Hundred Eight: Don't be caught up in the commercialism of the Christmas season. It might look like a fake Santa, but he was very real and he understood the lessons of Jesus.

622 to go....