Jesus, Santa, and Snow Globes
I was in Michael's craft store last night doing some holiday shopping when I came upon a shelf of glass snow globes. There were about eight sitting there, each one eight or so inches tall, the spherical window sitting atop a sturdy metal base. From the size of the base and how it was sitting, with little legs perching off the shelf just so, I knew there was probably a music box inside. My heart lept as I thought of my boys and how they would love a snow globe...and how magical they were to me as a child. Shaking and turning and snow... shaking and turning and snow. Add some music to that and ahhhh....pure childhood joy.
Snow globes are magical no matter what's inside. But inside each one of these globes was the nativity scene. I thought that was pretty special and decided that I would get one for each of my boys for Christmas. With anticipation I picked one up to discover the song that the music box would ring out as snow kissed Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. As I was turning it over the options panned across my mind. Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem...
With a turn of my wrist, I gazed in disbelief at what the sticker on the bottom of the Nativity snow globe read, "Here Comes Santa Claus". "No", I said aloud. "You're joking me!" I figured it was probably just that one and checked the others. But no, it wasn't just that one. Every single one had an oval sticker on the bottom with "Here Comes Santa Claus" typed on it in red ink.
This was perplexing and disheartening and just plain sad.
Just plain sad.
7 comments:
Wow, that is weird.
What movie was it, or show, where the guy couldn't comprehend the fact that Jesus was born on Christmas day!!!... He thought it was such a crazy coincidence... I dunno, your story made me think of that. I guess these days the commercialist aspect of Christmas overtakes the original significance of the day. That said, I hope I get lots of cool presents for Christmas, haha!!!
I would have asked for the manager and inquired as to the unfitting musical arrangement!!! I enjoy santa claus but focus on Saint Nicholas better story base for the grandchildren.Thank you for sharing this I am now more determined to put on the music of Christmas at this early hour and boycott the malls of angry people who have forgotten what we are really celebrating. Sorry, this turned into a rant. LOL
Yes, it really does seem pretty silly doesnt it. Christmas (oh, "xmas" now, i think its been renamed by Coke or Walmart maybe) has become such a commercial nonsense. Bah. So hard to find something of *value* for the little people these days...
Good luck with everything - Christmas seems to be such a time of turmoil. Joys of family and friends, and the pain of those... gaps... That and the pain in the wallet!
Sebastien - not sure of the movie, but it sounds funny, something i would like. I hope you get lots of cool presents for Christmas too! And may your stocking be filled with really GOOD chocolate!
Hi Pauline! So glad you've come to say hello and play the haiku challenge. I'm not a violent person, but I have to confess that I had this sudden urge to smash all of them right there! Yes, I too share Saint Nicholas with my kids...he was an amazing man.
Jake - what struck me most (aside from the asinine irony of it) was that it made absolutely no marketing sense. Who's gonna buy one of those things? And thanks for your thoughts about the holiday. It can be difficult, painful, and challenging to build traditions with the boys being in two different places. I know you can relate, and I hope your time with Ez is amazing.
I love snow globes and chocolate.
I think the commercialism is also why I really love bartering and making presents. Helps me keep the Holidays special, less stressful.. and down to Earth. Sometimes simple is better.
You'll find another somewhere else that is more fitting. Meanwhile what a great gift idea. Thank you.
yes, bartering is such a great idea. i still haven't gotten my stuff to cindra yet!
and chocolate -- i told sebastien that i think it's its own food group.
mary - glad that gave you a gift idea:)
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