"Teach the Children", A Christmas Story

Christmas time is full of beautiful decorations and music, service, giving, and fun family traditions. There are many stories that are meant to bring the Christmas spirit. Some are fun like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Claus, etc. While others are more emotional like The Little Drummer Boy and It's A Wonderful Life. One of the spiritual Christmas stories that is my favorite is called "Teach the Children".

My great-grandma gave my mom a copy of the story along with props many years ago. The story along with the props are stored in a cute little Christmas bag and are placed among my mom's decorations each December. My brother and I spent year after year playing with those props each Christmas. When I was in Senior Primary, my mom was the Primary President. During one of those years she read that story to the Primary kids the Sunday before Christmas, and I fell in love with it.

I don't know who wrote it. There is no name on the copy my mom has. I searched online for an author, but the name I was able to find is coupled  with a version of the story that is different from my mom's copy. But because I love this story so much, I would like to share it here:

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise int he front of the house. I opened the door of the front room and to my surprise, Santa Claus himseslf stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his fingers over his mouth so I would not cry out.

"What are you doing..." I started to ask, but the words choked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone -- gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.

He then answered me with a simple statement of "Teach the Children." I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag. As I stood there bewildered, Santa said again, "Teach the Children. Teach them the old meaning of Christmas -- the meanings that Christmas nowadays has forgotten."

I started to say, "How can I..." when Santa reached into the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star.

"Teach the children the star was the heavenly sign of promise long ages ago. God promised a savior for the world and the star is a sign of the fulfillment of that promise. The countless shining stars at night -- one for each man -- now show the burning hope of all mankind." Santa gently laid the star on the fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red Christmas tree ornament.

"Teach the children red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed for all the people by the Savior. Christ gave his life and shed His blood that every man might have God's gift of Eternal Life. Red is deep, intense, vivid -- it is the greatest color of all. It is  the symbol of the gift of God."

"Teach the Children," he said as he dislodged a small Christmas tree from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on it. The deep green of the fir tree was a perfect background for the ornament. There was the second color of Christmas.

"The pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round," he said. "This depicts the everlasting hope of mankind. Green is youthful, hopeful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward -- symbols of man's returning thoughts toward heaven. The great green tree has been man's best friend. It has sheltered hi, warmed him, made beds for him. Suddenly, I heard a soft tinkling sound.

"Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring for man to return to the fold --It means guidance and return. It further signifies that all are precious int he eyes of the Lord." As the soft sound of the bell faded into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast a glow about the darkened room. Odd shapes in shadows slowly danced and weaved upon the walls.

"Teach the Children," whispered Santa, "that the candle shows man's thanks for the star of long ago. Its small light is the mirror of starlight. At first, candles were placed on the trees -- they were like many glowing stars shining against the dark green. The colored light have now taken over in remembrance."

Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow and said, "A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men should be tied, all of us together, with the bonds of good will toward each other. Good will forever is the message of the bow."

Santa slung his bag over his shoulder and began to reach for the candy can placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.

"Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy can is the symbol that we are our brother's keepers."

As Santa looked about the room, a feeling of satisfaction shone on his face. He read wonderment in my eyes, and I am sure he sensed admiration for this night.

He reached into his bag and brought forth a wreath. He placed it on the door and said, "Please teach the children the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love; it never ceases, stops, or ends. It is one continual round of affection. The wreath does double duty. It  is made of many things and in many colors. It should remind us of all the things of Christmas. Please Teach the Children."

This story teaches us to keep Christ as the center of our Christmas - which I wrote about last week for Mormon Women Stand. Tonight we used the props from this story for Family Home Evening. Benjamin and Luna are not yet old enough to sit through me reading the story yet. But they sure enjoyed holding all of the props as I talked about them. This story will become a part of our family Christmas traditions.