I drove by the outlet mall on Black Friday; people were parked on the grassy margins, everywhere.

I go to the store; the area by the checkout is bunkered with coffee makers and candy canes.

I see pictures of Santa Claus everywhere. Movies about with saccharine messages about the “Christmas spirit.”

Like that is a real thing.

The truth is a poor teenager in a barn laboring to bring forth a child. If Santa did not give Jesus a decent hotel room to be born in, who are we to expect xboxes and flat screen tvs?

We are defined by gods and idols or…we are defined by that little child in the manger.

Somethings are either/or propositions:

Life or death

Angels or demons

Truth or fiction

A small tribe on the outpost of history waited for thousands of years for news of their King, the God who saves.

And it has taken us a cool 50 years to forget he is the reason for this celebration–the only Christmas gift that will matter forever.