Brace yourselves: So, it turns out that Santa DID NOT ACTUALLY VISIT the person who wrote the masterwork “Santa Says, ‘Teach the Children.'” It never happened – it is fiction. I know, I know – tough to accept. Even though it was taught over the pulpit in Sacrament meeting yesterday, it was NOT a real visitation, nor a vision.
With the aid of the inter-web, I was able to find that the peice was written by “Unknown Author”.
Thank you, Snopes! Here is the link to the actual piece: http://www.motivateus.com/stories/santa-s.htm
Apparently, Mr. Author claims to have had a visit from Santa – an entire week before Christmas – riiiiight. Instead of just following his normal Santa-pattern of speaking not a word, but going straight to his work, a tearful Santa confronted his observer with a manipulative sermon about how Unknown had an “all-caps” obligation to TEACH THE CHILDREN! He then went on to justify his existence by making up the most absurd religious symbolism for most every Christmas decoration. Holly leaves, wreaths, candles, even Santa Himself apparently represent the birth of the Savior in one strained way or another. Personally, I am relieved to know that when I eat a candycane, there is no transubstantiation involved.
I do need to be clear about one thing: This in no way diminishes my personal belief that fruitcake represents the Gathering of Israel.
Amen. For the last 3 years our “Christmas Programs” have consisted of at least 1 talk on the “symbols of Christmas”. *eye roll* I probably shouldn’t admit that my first thought when my husband was called as ward clerk was how he could put in a word to end such non-doctrinal nonsense. Since when did Luke 2 become so passe?
So I just HAD to go all the way back to your first posts. I don’t EVER do that, EVER because I’d like to think that I tend to “Forget Not” the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish one. . . (umm, okay, I’ll have to rethink that now, huh?)
But that has no relevance to my comment which is this – Someone in our recent past gave a us a “wonderful” Christmas book entitled “I Believe in Santa Claus.” I was informed that this book has not only been read in R.S. but it has brought sisters to tears as Santa is compared to Jesus. REALLY?!?!? I had to tell my children it leave it alone. Leave. It Alone.