Need a New Image for Santa

Now that Christmas Eve and Day are past my natural Scroogeiness can rear its head concerning Santa Claus.

Our theology is formed in our early years of life. Very little of the secular ethos of Christmas carries any indication of grace. I remember being told as a kid, “If you aren't good Santa will only bring you a lump of coal and a bundle of switches.” Doing some reading, via Google, I discovered this goes back a long way in history. Those with whom Santa (by any of his names) was not pleased would receive these symbols of his displeasure as an incentive for better behavior in the coming year. From occasional experience I knew the switches were for a type of behavior modification applied to one’s backside. My great-grandfather lived across the street from us as I was growing up. He heated his small four room house with a coal stove. I knew coal to be dusty and dirty, necessary for warmth, but to be thrown out as a useless cinder. A single lump of coal wasn't of much use. The lesson was be good and receive gifts. Be bad and it is a lump of coal and a bundle of switches.

I also grew up hearing the song “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” Again, via Google and Wikipedia, I learned the song first was heard in 1934. The message was very clear. Santa keeps a ledger of who is naughty and who is nice. There is no hiding from Santa who sees you when you are sleeping and when you are awake.

These images are imprinted on young minds even before they begin to have awareness of God. It is but a small leap to transferring the characteristics of Santa Claus to understanding of God. There is no place we can go, nothing we can do, that God doesn't see us just like Santa seeing us when we are sleeping when we are awake. Good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. God must be keeping a list and checking it twice just like Santa.

Yes, we could proof text those attributes of God and God’s relationship with us. In some quarters those attributes are the primary ones which are taught. Lived is lived under the constant threat that if we are not good enough God will be displeased. If God is displeased God will withhold good things from us in this life and the afterlife will be unending punishment.

Is it any wonder works righteousness dominates so much of the Church’s lived theology? Lived theology is how we practice our faith in differentiation from our orthodox and academic theology. How can we construct/deconstruct/reconstruct the stories and fables about Santa Claus which are imprinted on young minds so that God’s grace, love, abundant providence and other positive attributes inform more of our lived theology from a young age?

As leaders in the church this is critical for us to figure out, especially in the modern cultural ethos. The Nativity story requires too much interpretation to become easily imprinted on young minds. How do we appropriate the prevalence of Santa Claus from a psychological manipulation of the young to behave into a positive image of grace, love and abundant providence upon all? How do we move from the early imprinting of works righteousness to “doing good” as a response to what we already have received without merit or goodness?