One Christmas tradition that I inherited from my mother was collecting and displaying Santas throughout the house every Christmas season. It was always fun every year to take out the collection and greet old friends after their eleven month stay in the North Pole of the rafters of the garage. I had a large variety of Santas made of different materials, different sizes, and even different outfits. But there was one Popular Santa figure that I never had, and never wanted, the Santa kneeling before the crib of the baby Jesus.
The reason this figure was developed (and I’m sure loved by many) is obvious. By combining the two Christmas stories, the statue coalesces the entire Christmas message while giving clear preeminence to the nativity story. Parents can point to Santa, the greatest example of goodness, omnipotence and omnipresence in the life of a child and say without words, “See, if even Santa worships the newborn king, then you darn well better behave yourself in Christmas mass.”
I’m not entirely sure why I have always found the many forms of the kneeling Santa to be somewhat distasteful. I suppose the mixing of stories might have something to do with it. Each story has its own integrity, and forcing them together seems to lessen both. Is Santa brought into the Jesus story, or has Jesus been brought into the Santaverse? Are Santa and Jesus friends? Does Santa still talk with Jesus regularly about naughty and nice children since Jesus has a direct line through the confessional? If a fully realized Santa was present at the time of Jesus’ birth, why did he not start giving presents for nearly two millennia? These are just a few questions that come to mind when I see kneeling Santa…this is probably also the reason why my parents never liked to talk theology with me.
When my daughter was young, she watched Barney the dinosaur and loved him as much as Santa (and probably Jesus). I always wondered why no one ever marketed a “Kneeling Barney,” showing the beloved character recognizing the divinity of the Christ child (and singing “I love you, you love me…”). If you think this sounds crass and commercial, you’ll start to see why I find Kneeling Santa upsetting. Keep Christ in Christmas (if you would like) and/or keep Santa in Christmas (if you would like), but for goodness sake, give them separate shelves!
I am grateful for the many images of Santa I enjoy every year…except this one.