With the greatest story ever told unfolding on Friday, this question is bound to be asked: Are you one of those who have the habit of missing Christmas? After the holidays, there are people who actually say they do or feel this way. The usual culprit is that they were so preoccupied with a lot of things to do that by the time they realize it, Christmas was already past. In case you didn't notice, the biggest culprit is the big fellow that we all love to see – he with the white beard, a red coat with white collar and cuffs, white-cuffed red trousers and black leather boots to go with his plump figure and his signature laughter.

SANTA CLAUS

So what's wrong with Santa Claus? To most people, the season has been reduced to one big gift-giving orgy that few people enjoy and fewer people appreciate. More often than not, the gift givers do not actually relish the thought of giving away gifts but feel they have to for whatever reason. And more often than not, those who get it think they deserve more from the giver. Frankly, it is perplexing how a legendary figure who may or may not have existed could completely take over Christmas as he does now. The most common legend is that Santa lives in the North Pole with a number of elves where he goes about with a sled drawn by reindeers. This image became popular in the 19th century due to the influence of caricaturist and political cartoonist Thomas Nast. Parents join in the fray by harping on the part about Santa making a list about who is naughty and nice. Of course, children these days are smart enough to ask why children are expected to be nice while their parents are allowed to be naughty. There are people who have opposed teaching children to believe in Santa Claus. Some Christians say the Santa tradition detracts from the religious origins and purpose of Christmas. Others point out that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie and that it is unethical for parents to teach their children to believe in his existence. Others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, or as an intrusion upon their own national traditions. And yet, somehow, Santa Claus has withstood the resistance largely because traders pump him up every year oftentimes at the expense of the nativity story. It is strange indeed that fiction is getting more attention than fact.

GOSPEL ACCOUNT

The Christmas story is, of course, well documented. Two writers of the gospels – Matthew and Luke gave complementary narratives of the event. Matthew noted that there were 14 generations from Abraham to David, another 14 from David to the exile in Babylon , and 14 more from the exile to Jesus. It makes a strong case not only about the actual dates but about the accuracy of the predictions about the Savior by prophets generations earlier. Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, became pregnant, prompting Joseph to decide to divorce her quietly. An angel of the Lord however appeared to him in a dream to tell him to marry Mary because she conceived by the Holy Spirit. Luke was more specific, noting that it was the sixth month when God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth to tell Mary the good news that she was highly favored. She will bear a child and give birth to a son whom she will name Jesus. It was also Luke who explained that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken in the entire Roman world. This was the reason why Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem from Nazareth – because everyone was to go to his own town. Since Joseph belonged to the line of David, he needed to go to Bethlehem with Mary who was expecting the child. In those days, the decrees of emperors must be obeyed even if it meant the ordeal of travel for a pregnant woman like Mary.

Unknown to many people until centuries later, this was to fulfill the prophecy about the role of Bethlehem . Due to the heavy influx of visitors who were in town for the same reason, there was no longer any available place for Joseph and Mary to stay except a manger where she would eventually give birth. As soon as the Child was born, an angel appeared to the shepherds out in the fields and relayed to them the good news that the Savior was born and giving them instructions on where they will find Him. A host of angels appeared to them, praising and giving glory to God. The heavenly spectacle must have been such that the shepherds did not waste time and rushed to Bethlehem. They found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger and were the first messengers of the good news about Jesus Christ. Matthew recorded the visit of the Magi from the east. Scholars point out that they must have arrived long after the birth of Jesus because the reference was already about a child and no longer a baby. The wise men saw the star in east and went to worship Him. When they came to Herod, the king was greatly troubled and sent them to look for the child with expressed instructions to report back to him after they find him. They followed the star until it stopped over the place where the child was. They went to the house and worshipped Jesus and offered gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. There was no longer any mention of the manger but a house, no mention here of kings but wise men, no actual count of the wise men but three prominent gifts.

ALL MIXED UP

With the passing of time, the celebration of Christmas has degenerated into a complicated mix-up. Many give more emphasis on Santa Claus and all the commercial variations that went with him. An increasing number of Christians insist that the celebration should focus on Jesus, the Reason for the season. Without Christ, Christmas would be merely another story. In between are those who embrace a mixture between the two – giving a few hours for worship in the 20 days that the Christmas season is supposed to cover. From Dec. 16, the time when Roman Catholics start hearing dawn mass, to Jan. 6 which is the Feast of the Three Kings, the revelry preoccupies most Christians. It does not take much to see that to many people, the celebration has become a burden than a blessing. The expenses increase every year while the cash bonanza does not measure up to it. Instead of appreciating the extra income at Christmas, most are heard to grumble and complain. In the final reckoning, it is all about the individual's frame of mind. Those who adore Santa Claus and the gift-giving ritual associated with him are more likely to miss Christmas than those who go straight to the basics of the Christmas story as told by the Matthew and Luke.

THE GIFT

A story is told about a wise and good king in Persia who loved his people and often dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar so he could visit the poor and learn about their hardships. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate and spoke cheerful, kind words to him. He later visited that poor man again and told him, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate my coarse food. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!" The real star at Christmas is Jesus Christ Himself. He is the gift that God sent to a lonely and suffering world. Then and now, the question that needs to be asked is whether people accept the Gift – Jesus Christ Himself – or reject Him. This question is the real story that must be told at Christmas.