I believe that St. Nick and the elves are probably exhausted.  I don’t just mean physically but probably mentally as well.  Let me explain what has caused my rumination on this matter.

St. Nick (or if you prefer Santa Claus) has been traditionally the keeper of the spirit of Christmas.  An example of Christian generosity and goodness.  I remember as a child getting oranges, pennies and that really huge candy cane in my stocking.  I set in Santa’s lap and asked for that one special toy that I couldn’t live without.  Anything else under the tree came from family.

These days Santa is probably overwhelmed, the endless lists, really greed and how can the elves keep up with production?  I’m sure there has been a good deal of outsourcing and probably some Amazon involvement.  St. Nick, the representative of the true spirit of Christmas must certainly feel he has failed humanity in his God given assignment of spreading the true meaning and spirit of Christmas.

Now comes to my reason for bringing all this to your attention.  St. Nick desperately needs your help.  I know you probably are trying to teach your children Christian charity and you are hopefully taking them to minister to the less fortunate.  You may be even be helping them donate some of their clothes and toys.   There is however a larger lesson to be taught here.  Something that in our current culture is almost impossible for adults and so harder for children.  Let’s teach our children to ask for less or better yet to want less.  We are always wanting and if we don’t fill our hearts and minds with things that God wants us to have then we waste our time and talents on filling our houses, our closets and our minds with things we really don’t need.  More and more of it until we have too much and still we want more.  Even those of us who think they are doing the right thing, those who are generous with their time and cash have too much.  Even those who think they are living a simple life style or off the grid, a tiny house or an organic garden are just really living in the fad of the moment.  It doesn’t come down to how little you have or how little you make do with, it comes down to wanting less.  It’s not a matter of having less or settling for less, it’s a matter of living your life in the moment that God has given you right now and being okay with that.  Satisfied.  This is the lesson to teach your children.  It’s okay to want that one special toy but they need to discern what that toy will be and be satisfied with that.  If more comes your way you may enjoy it, share it and be generous to those in need but first learn what it really means to be truly satisfied.  Restore St. Nick’s faith in humanity and teach your children and ourselves what the manger really represents – the greatest satisfaction comes as a gift not from a want or even a need.