Thursday, Nov 30, 2023
“Letters to Santa”
The Chapel is one of the unofficial postal stops for letters to Santa. Our Santa mailbox (located in the Christmas Garden on The Chapel’s grounds) has already collected a number of Letters to Santa. Though some people may be “Scroogish”, considering such letters as wasteful or inappropriate, I consider the letters to be among my highest priorities of responsibility as your pastor.
Yes. I am an authorized representative of the North Pole. I participated in extensive training for many years to become authorized to handle the Letters to Santa. This doesn’t include all the additional training that teaches authorized representatives the manner by which they are supposed to respond to the multitude of Santa requests received during the Holiday Season.
In our training, we are taught that this is serious business. Letters to Santa are sincere requests from children and adults who trust that Christmas can deliver the things that are otherwise unattainable. It’s not a question of whether the requests are legitimate. Instead, as representatives of the North Pole, we consider each request as important and valuable, regardless of our personal opinions of each request. After we properly address the letters, they’ll be forwarded to the North Pole as directed by the United States Postal Service.
What does God think about all this? I think God loves anything that points to loving and caring for the needs of people. If a child asks for a toy, then God considers that request to be valid. If an adult asks for a new or improved relationship with a special someone, then God considers that request to be valid. In short, God considers all of our requests to be important because God cares about us.
Regardless of one’s opinion of the Holiday Season and the hoopla around it, Santa gives us another outlet by which the needs and cares of others can be met. This has nothing to do with one’s belief. Instead, it has more to do with God’s creation of humanity and our responsibility for each other. We should care about the Holiday wishes of every child. We should care about the Christmas hope that each adult carries within their hearts and minds.
It is not our responsibility to fill every Christmas List wish for each person. However, we should care about the letters sent to Santa because God values our needs, wants, and wishes. Is this causing us to reflect theologically? Good. If a request is important enough for us to seek Santa’s help along with the LORD’s, then it is also important to God. Even the most selfish requests are important to the LORD. Does it mean that Santa is going to fill his sack with all of our requests? No, of course not. Santa is not the author of the hope, joy, peace, and love of Christmas. Santa does not grant wishes. Santa is just one extension of God’s love into the world, giving us a glimpse of how the world can help care for the needs of others.
Perhaps in Santa, we can be reminded of who IS the true answer to our hopes, dreams, and desires. Perhaps the Christmas list to Santa will be filled, but, even if not, perhaps the process will point our hearts to Who and What matter eternally, as well as in the moment.
Give it to the LORD today, trusting that God will take care of the details, including your Letters to Santa.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-6, NRSV)