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• Jenna, my interpretation of that figurine is "the spirit of gift giving." Although Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) wasn't thought up for another thousand years, there was gift-giving associated with Jesus' birth (The Three Wise Men.) Someone, in their artistic wonder, decided to combine the two. Actually, I kind of like it, because even Santa's focus is on Jesus! And as you know, He is the greatest gift of all! :)

  • Kim, your interpretation of this is lovely and so much less cynical than mine!
    Okay, Christmas resolution for me: no cynicism. Thank you for shedding light on the beautiful and spiritual aspect of this!

• I am not a fan of Santa, because he seems to be the attention-getter at Christmas time rather than Jesus. In fact, my husband dislikes the idea of Santa so much, that he prefers not to have anything Santa as decor in our house. But looking at Santa holding baby Jesus makes my heart melts a little. Maybe it's because he looks more saintly... not because he is without sin, but because he knows that the little baby he holds is the one who lived and died for him. This precious little life made him holy. He is a true "Saint" Nicholas bought with the precious blood of Christ. I like it.

  • Wow, kudos to your husband for being true to his convictions! We have no Santas in our apartment . . . then again, baby Jesus isn't there either (nope, no creche). Let's just say that I go reeeeeal light on the decorating, heh heh. =)

    • So when I told my husband about this, his reaction was... "Santa and Jesus should remain separate and unequal". Lol.

• I am confuse about the figurine too. The only thing I could think of is that the person who thought of this idea was trying to say "This is the greatest gift to hummanity" The real gift of Christmas.

• EVERY knee shall bow and every tounge confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Looks like even Jolly ol' Saint Nick is realizing this! :) Santa may bring presents, but Christ gave His life for us: how can you beat a gift like that?! You can't!

  • Hah! Amen to that. "Every knee shall bow" is such a wonderful truth, and I'm glad it came to mind when you were looking at this li' figurine!

• Well, it's obviously not historically accurate and it bugs me a little, but I do like Kim's interpretation too!

  • Yeah, my first reaction was like yours--but Kim's interpretation is great.

• I'm obviously not very well versed because I kept looking and re-reading trying to find your question. From reading the comments, it appears as though the question is 'why is Santa holding Jesus when Santa wasn't around until later?' Is that right?

  I'm not even going to try to guess at the answer, I'll be happy if I got the question!

  • Sorry not to have been clearer--yes! The question is "what the heck is Santa doing holding baby Jesus?" Obviously the real St Nick wasn't exactly around in Bethlehem in the year 1 AD, so I was shouting out a general 'whuzzup with this?'

    • LOL

• Though I see where you and Veronica are coming from and I really like Kimby's interpretation, I see it in a whole different light.
  I would not take this into a religious view per se but, as a mass produced Christmas item that sells. If it sells, it's mass produced, no matter if there is a meaning behind it or not, you know? There are more baby jesus statues sold than Bibles each year, see my point? If the public will buy it (and most will) than it's mass produced and sold like crazy, no matter the meaning or underlying meaning.
  I hope I made (some) sense...lol! ;) (If not I've been off sick this week and that's my excuse...ha!)...

  • Suzie, I see where you're coming from too--and it's not just because you're sick (you poor thing!). That was my first reaction--that it was a ludicrous item with no historical basis or meaning, basically. I like Kim's approach because it helped me get beyond my cynicism this morning, but you're so right about the drive of the "Christmas industry," which is based on money and not meaning.

• I think it is trying to combine two facets of the Christmas season. The true meaning with a twist for those that celebrate the commercialism/Santa/gift giving.

  It is akin [I think] to saying "Happy Holidays" - it's all inclusive and nothing that could offend.

  I do like Kim's interpretation tho' - but I did have suspend my own cynicism for the moment.

  For what it is worth - I would never buy something like that. Yes, I have a few Santa's in my house, and a creche - but to combine the two, as such, is [to quote my husband] "The hard cheese."

  • Yup, I don't think I could ever bring myself to purchase it either. And I like the expression "the hard cheese"--I don't think I've ever heard it before and it makes me laugh. =)

  • The true meaning with a twist? That's what the Devil does. He takes what is true and twists it to deceive people and they believe. If it's not all truth then it's not the truth. Jesus is truth.

• This is what goes through my mind when I see Santa holding the God of the universe in his arms (which we all know really didn't happen).

  Santa looks at baby Jesus and smiles and whispers, "One day, it wont be about you anymore. Songs that glorify you will soon fade away and songs about me will be sung in all the families homes. They're belief in me will be great as they're belief in you will be, baby Jesus yeah ok whatever, give me the presents that SANTA brought me. It will be all about me!"

• It is to bring home that Jeasus was giving and excepting, that his birth is a time for all of us to celebrate the joy of life and the children within us all.