It wasn’t a deliberate decision, but for  the past two years I’ve been on Santa sabbatical.  

It’s felt a little weird, especially this year; kind of like the feeling an active church-goer gets when they’ve missed worship for a few Sundays.  It’s like the rest of the week feels a little off when you’ve missed church. 

Stress has been a factor, along with my wife’s health struggles, and a recent transition from care center chaplaincy to serving a new church in a new town.  I did some of my best “Santa-ing” at the care center, but also felt the biggest push-back I’ve ever experienced, from people whose strongly-held religious beliefs had convinced them that Santa was an inappropriate person to appear there (and that a pastor-type person had no business portraying him).

There’s a lot more tolerance at my new setting, and health concerns aren’t nearly as big as they’ve been.  

So let’s raise a toast to the New Year, 2019, with the hope that it’s going to be a great year for all us Jolly Old Elves, Mrs. Clauses, elves and reindeer!  

Peace! Health! Love!

Santa Dan