Ever wonder how to make sure Santa visits your home?
Well, here is a list that is guaranteed to help secure a visit from that ageless, jovial fat man dressed in red and white; who tromps around in big, black boots.
First of all, make sure you have THE ROOM decked out! Your special Christmas Room. The Christmas tree should stand almost as tall as the ceiling, leaving about nine inches for either an angel or a star. The tree should have two strings of lights for each foot of tree height, and every branch ought to be laden with at least one ornament. Don’t forget the tinsel and popcorn strings. Plus, there must be a small table close by to place a glass of milk and a plate of Mrs. Grace’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies on. (Note-see post https://jangrace.com/mrs-graces-famous-chocolate-chip-cookies for recipe.)
Next, the Christmas music must be perfect! Not too loud, but not too soft.
And there’s no Christmas music that Santa would rather hear than Burl Ives singing, “Santa Claus is coming to town.”
Andy Williams singing Christmas songs works almost as well, but definitely not Mannheim Steamroller. You may like it, and I may like it; but Christmas isn’t about what we like or dislike. It’s about Santa’s visit!
Thirdly, you really need to have a chimney and a fireplace. I’m sorry, but the sewer vent just doesn’t cut it for a couple of obvious reasons. Unlocked doors and windows aren’t safe either. And, you can’t expect Santa to carry around millions of house keys in his sleigh. So, get that chimney installed. Or, perhaps you could borrow one from a friend. But Santa MUST have access to your home. How would it be if Santa swings by your place but can’t get in? It’d ruin the whole evening!
After you’ve taken care of those things, take a quick look around your home. Do you have anything lying around that could offend Santa? You know how picky he is! And he doesn’t miss a thing, either. After all, he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good; so, look around the house one more time.
There’s one final item on the checklist; and it’s the most important of all.
Believe! Just simply believe! Have childlike faith and believe the magical story!
Do you remember that feeling of anticipation and hope you had as a child on Christmas Eve? Remember how hard it was to get to sleep?
No one told you to quit believing just because you grew up, did they? Well then, BELIEVE!
During this Christmas season, many people will go all out preparing for a visit from Santa Claus. I’m not being critical of other people’s traditions; but I would like to use them as an example of faith, bible faith, as in “faith in God.”
In the heart of a child lies an ability to believe almost anything.
They can believe that a great man named Santa, who lives at the North Pole with his elves and reindeer, travels the world on Christmas Eve, leaving toys for every boy and girl. They can believe it!
All the other things on our “checklist” are meaningless; a waste of time and money, if the child doesn’t believe. Take away the child’s faith, and you have nothing more than a tradition.
I see a correlation between how people prepare for Santa’s visit and how people can be towards Jesus.
Manger scenes, bright stars, magi, reading the Christmas story from Matthew and Luke; all of the things we do to prepare our homes for a “Christian Christmas” don’t mean a thing without faith. We MUST believe. Believing, even though the story sounds impossible. Without faith, all that’s left is tradition. Only tradition.
It seems impossible for God to become a baby, born of a virgin, to live and grow, give His life a ransom for many; and then rise from the dead! And it is impossible for people like you and I!
But with God, all things are possible.
Childlike faith brings the Christ of Christmas into your home.
Into your heart.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 ESV)
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12 ESV)
No wonder Jesus told us to have childlike faith.
Jan Grace 