Central Abbotsford

We are only a few days out from Christmas, which means that it has nearly been a solid month of Christmas songs playing in most public venues. This leads to some situations that really only happen this time of year, such as hearing the words “glory to the newborn King” playing over the speakers at Starbucks, or, as I experienced last week at a Vancouver Canucks game, having a popular version of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” playing during a break such that the words “Remember Christ our Saviour / Was born on Christmas Day / To save us all from Satan’s pow’r / When we were gone astray” rang out through Rogers Arena. Not something that you usually hear at a hockey game!

Of course, there is seemingly no end to the number of Christmas songs, but they do generally fall into one of two categories: overtly Christian, or avowedly secular. The former category is occupied largely by the traditional hymns and songs that occasionally make it into an Advent worship set during a weekend service (“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” for example), while the latter will take you all the way from “Frosty the Snowman” to “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, with much more in between.

There is one song that I am aware of that tries to defy categorization and bridge the gap between the worlds of the divine and the secular, at least in terms of Christmas songs. Perhaps appropriately, it dates to the middle of the twentieth century, shortly after the end of the Second World War, as the liberal democratic consensus was gradually overtaking cultural Christianity as the basis for civic virtue in North American life. The song, which many of you are familiar with (if not the original, at least one of the many cover versions), is Gene Autry’s “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)”. Here are a couple of the verses, in case you’ve forgotten them:

 

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus 

Right down Santa Claus Lane 

He doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor 

He loves you just the same 

Santa Claus knows we’re all God’s children 

That makes everything right 

So fill your hearts with Christmas cheer 

‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight 

 

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus 

Right down Santa Claus Lane 

He’ll come around when chimes ring out 

That it’s Christmas morn’ again 

Peace on Earth will come to all 

If we just follow the light 

So let’s give thanks to the Lord above 

‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight

 

In searching for these lyrics online, I also stumbled upon comments both from Christians lamenting that the song isn’t truly about Jesus, and from atheists arguing that it was a sheep in wolf’s clothing, dangerously sneaking religious messages into a seemingly harmless kids’ song in an effort to indoctrinate children. You just can’t please anyone anymore! That said, if your conclusion upon reading the lyrics or hearing the song is that it comes across as a fairly generic secular holiday song with a few references to Jesus strewn in, I think you’ve correctly assessed things.

I’m really taking the long way to get to the point, but here it is: many people (including many people who attend church) still live “Here Comes Santa Claus” lives. Structurally, they look and sound like the rest of the world. Maybe when you dive down deep and really pay attention, you will see or hear a reference to God. Whether that’s a theologically sound reference or “Santa Claus knows we’re all God’s children”? Well, who’s to say? After all, God was mentioned, right? Doesn’t that make everything right?

The truth of Christmas is that God Himself entered into the world in human form. He did so in order that we may see His glory, and have that glory impact each and every aspect of our lives, not just a gloss here or a reference there. He did not come to be added into whatever we already do; he came to reframe everything about our lives. As living sacrifices, we are called daily to live in response to what he has done, doing all things for His name’s sake, regardless of whatever Christmas song might be ringing through your ears.

Merry Christmas! This week, and all year long.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

– John 1:12-14