It's Santa and Rudolph vs. Linus and the Grinch.

No, I'm not referring to some kind of tag-team wrestling match (nor even a "celebrity death match," for those of you who watch MTV). Instead, I'm referring to characters in classic children's Christmas shows, and the very different messages they send. I do have to say that I love these shows. In the "primitive" pre-VCR days of my childhood, in the early '70s, there was only one chance per year to see them, so my brothers and I would comb TV Guide religiously to make sure we didn't miss any of them. Today, I still look forward to watching our tapes of these shows with my kids during December.

I also am aware that these shows send mixed messages about the meaning of Christmas, ranging from glorious to awful. The most egregious offenders are "The Year Without a Santa Claus" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." In the former, Santa considers taking a year off, much to the consternation of all. And in the latter, Santa actually utters the theologically horrible words, "We'll have to cancel Christmas." The message from both shows for a child is that Christmas is dependent upon the presence and presents of Santa. In our heavily consumerist society, that's an easy trap for a child to fall into. It's an easy trap for adults as well. (How much of your Advent preparation and energy centers around shopping for gifts?)

On the positive side, Dr. Seuss's "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" sends the strong message that Christmas is much more than all the cultural trappings which the Grinch steals in a vain attempt to prevent Christmas. In the words of Dr. Seuss, "It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags ... He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming. It came. Somehow or other, it came just the same." The story of the conversion of the Grinch points away from Christmas as "something that comes from a store." But, sadly, it still misses the boat. It doesn't point toward anything beyond Christmas as a warm, fuzzy time with family and friends.

To get to the real meaning of Christmas, we have to turn to the pre-eminent Christmas cartoon theologian, Linus Van Pelt, in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Charlie Brown expresses our great cultural angst when he says, "Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel. I like getting presents, and sending Christmas cards, and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy." How many countless souls in our culture resonate with his ambivalence? Fortunately for Charlie, Linus is there to remind him of what Christmas is all about. Linus may be a little fuzzy when it comes to the Great Pumpkin, but he hits the nail on the head with Christmas when he quotes from the second chapter of Luke: "'I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord' ... That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." It is as simple and as wonderful as that.

In the midst of all the distractions our culture provides during this season, may we never forget that central message of the gospel.

Our guest columnist is the Rev. James P. Haney V, rector of Good Shepherd Church, Wichita, Kan.