Full Shoes and Empty Souls

By Steve Winget

December 6 in Hungary is the favorite celebration of our children, Karis and Joel. It is Szent Miklos Napja, or St. Nicholas Day. On the evening of the 5th, all the children lay out a pair of clean shoes (the biggest they have, of course) for, during the night, Szent Miklos comes around-according to the legend-and puts treats in the shoes of all the good little girls and boys. The tradition corresponds closely with our familiar hanging of empty stockings at Christmas time, in hopes of receiving goodies. Socks or shoes make little difference to seven-and eight-year-olds.

Of course, Hungarian entrepreneurs don't let this marketing opportunity escape them. All sorts of St. Miklos gift bags are sold in the shops and market stalls at this time of year.

It's just as easy in Hungary, as it is in North America, to allow the Christmas season's customs to steal the central focus God's greatest Gift should hold for us.

John's gospel does not record the Christmas story as the other three gospels do. The apostle simply states, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." But in the course of telling us about "the Word," John dogmatically says, "In Him was life." Not in the bangles we hang to decorate our homes, nor in the baubles we exchange to excite our fancies, but in HIM. Is there any wonder that so many people experience after-Christmas blues? Is is surprising that the suicide rate goes up between Christmas and New Year's?

Little Hungarians are not the only ones who have full shoes but empty souls.

Steve & Cheryl Winget and their children joined ABWE in 1992 and serve in Hungary.

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