Whether we were ready or not, they are here. They invaded our channels and Roku and will stay there well into January. I am talking, of course, of the Christmas movies. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Christmas Vacation,” “Home Alone,” and “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” (to name a few).

Everyone has their favorite, and it’s hard for me to choose just one, but certainly high up on the list is the 2003 movie, “Elf.”

I especially love the part where Buddy the Elf is trying to “warn” the children that the mall Santa is not the real Santa.

“You stink. You smell like beef and cheese! You don’t smell like Santa."
“You disgust me. How can you live with yourself?”
“You sit on a throne of lies.”
Buddy the Elf

Every year someone “complains” that the Christmas decorations are coming out earlier and earlier, but if I can be totally honest – I love it.  I love ALL of it.  Yes, the manger scenes, the angels, and “the reason for the season,” but I also love Santa, the lights, the Christmas shopping, and the peppermint flavor everything.  I love the religious and I love the commercial.

There is, of course, an important balance that must be made by the nationwide festivities and the truth of the Glorious Feast Day of our Orthodox faith. The birth of the Son of God transcends every attempt to explain the incomprehensible.

"The Son of God became man so that we might become God.”
 St. Athanasius of Alexandria

So, how do we remember the true meaning of Christmas among all the “holiday” things we also enjoy so much?

In my opinion – we lean into it.

Buddy the Elf knew with absolute certainty that the “mall Santa” was not the real Santa. Why? Because Buddy personally knew Santa. He knew the difference between a fake and the real thing. If we lean into it – we can learn a lot from this Christmas movie.

Christmas is about gift giving – why? Because God is a generous God and gave us the BEST gift that could ever have been given to humanity on Christmas day. 

Christmas is about being “good,” – not necessarily for “goodness sake,” but because we did not earn the blessings we’ve been given.  We ought to be good to others to show our gratitude for what we’ve been given.

Christmas is about “awe” – maybe not magic and myths – but certainly a miraculous and awe-inspiring birth.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

 The best part?  Christmas is no mere holiday – we need not put the gift of Christmas away after “the holidays” because Christ’s birth was only the beginning of His victory over death and the gift of eternal salvation.

Sometimes we fight against the commercial traditions a bit too much and forget to enjoy the whole “thing” – because whether the world likes it or not, our Christmas traditions came from the original reason for the season. In my opinion, it almost takes more effort not to remember Christ during Christmas.

Here at Bridges to Orthodoxy – we hope you do enjoy the pumpkin spice of Thanksgiving and the peppermint of Christmas along with remembering the messages of gratitude and generosity with those seasons – those messages that came from Jesus.

As we start “the holidays”, BtO would also like to be among the first of the gift-givers.

Click HERE for a free Christmas Party Activity you can use for all ages.

Also check out our Christmas Unit and everything else that is coming up HERE.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas, from BtO!