Plastic Santa Claus

This time of year, I see many Christmas decorations in all the stores. However, none have quite the meaning to me as the plastic Santa that I see for sale in almost all the department stores. Everytime I see a light-up, plastic Santa Claus, I am immediately taken back to my childhood. We didn't have much money in our family but we had lots of love. We splurged one year and ordered a light-up plastic Santa Claus from the Sears mail order catalog. Every year after that at Christmastime, Santa would sit shining brightly on the front porch of our little frame house. Even after I was in college, I got the same feeling when I drove up in front of our house on a cold winter night and saw that plastic Santa Claus. To me, it symobized much more than a plastic Christmas decoration. It symbolized a warm, welcoming home filled with love. I understand Santa is not the reason for the season, but that Santa was a reminder to me and the reason for my heart to be overflowing with love and security--thankful for the Christian family God had given me. My brother now has the Santa and that Santa still shines brightly after all these years. Even though our parents and grandparents are now with the Lord, I re-live all of those Christmases long ago and still feel the warmth and love I felt then when I see a plastic Santa Claus.