Every December, our communities are transformed by the presence of Christmas trees and neighborhoods filled with brilliantly lit homes. Familiar songs are sung around fires, and delicious smells waft from kitchens, where holiday treats are concocted, and children charm us with their delight in a man called Santa Claus, who has temporarily housed himself in your local shopping mall.

Do you ever wonder about the origins of these traditions? How did the Yule log, mistletoe, holly and conifer trees become associated with Christmas? How did Saturnalia, a Roman holiday culminating in the honor of Saturn, the god of excess, become associated with the birth of Christ? How have Christians and churches through the ages met the challenges of separating themselves from pagan nature worship celebrations? And how did the Bethlehem nativity scene of God's gift to mankind get replaced with "Jolly Ol' St. Nick," the fat man in a red suit with flying reindeer, giving gifts to good children and coal to naughty ones?

Those questions and many more are answered in a video titled, "The Unwrapping of Christmas: Its History, Myths and Traditions." Produced by Jeremiah Films, the documentary not only explores the season's many facets, but helps viewers discover biblical facts about the birth of Jesus. The prophet Isaiah foretold that "unto us a child would be born whose name is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace." Surely the provision of such a gift of peace is good news indeed during this post-Twin Towers era, when hope of peace is in the heart of everyone.

Certainly the most dominant theme in Western Christmas celebrations is gift giving. After all, this is the "season of giving," we are told. No longer focused on the birth of humankind's savior, our pluralistic society embraces all religions and traditions during this time set aside to celebrate Christ. Wishing each other a generic "happy holidays," we marvel at beautifully decorated shopping centers, where many of us spend precious time and money getting into the spirit of this magical season. And some may find more "magic" in giving gifts based on the magic witchcraft offers, rather than those with biblical roots.

The unbridled success of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Warner Bros.' adaptation of J.K. Rowling's wildly popular children's book, has prompted the creation of a myriad of Potter products, sure to be filling stockings and crowding under trees this year. The boy-wizard Harry Potter has presented millions of children with the idea that witchcraft is a positive phenomenon, and now toy manufacturers are making it possible for children to take their obsession with young Harry to new heights.

At the top of Tiger Electronic's list of Potter products is the "Electronic Quidditch™ Game." Quidditch is a fictional, soccer-like game played on flying broomsticks by characters in the Potter series. Tiger's version is played on a child-size broom with motion sensors, which allow children to "steer" it, giving the illusion of flight. Tiger also offers the "Harry Potter Book of Spells," which gives children "daily horoscopes and fortunes," according to its maker.

In addition to spell books and brooms, children may also buy their own magic wands. According to Tiger, wand users can "battle against an evil wizard in a wizard's duel or challenge a friend in a two-player duel." Children repeat "spells" given through voice and light commands during the memory game. "As you move the wand, you repeat and cast your spells," the manufacturer's website states.

The list of Potter products grows longer as the "season of giving" progresses. And while the celebration of Christ's birth has sadly developed into a retailer's fantasy, it is truly a perversion to commemorate the incarnation of God Almighty with the giving of make-believe witchcraft paraphernalia for children. Worse, yet, is that these toys bear a real resemblance to the tools of the Wiccan religion, more commonly known as witchcraft; brooms, wands and spells are all used in the practice of Wicca. Children are being familiarized with concepts and objects used in the occult rituals of paganism and especially witchcraft.

In my video, "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged," viewers are shown the similarities between Harry's imaginary world and the very real world of witchcraft. And make no mistake, marketing executives are paid handsomely for their ability to strategically target and attract our children to Harry Potter and his wizarding world. Indeed, as I watched the film version of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in a theater last month, children sat transfixed, eagerly absorbing the world presented to them.

By providing our children with the paraphernalia of Harry's world, we encourage them to become more absorbed by it. Surely this can spark an interest in occult realities, as youngsters desire to perform real magic. Don't think so? Then let me ask you this: Do you believe violent video games, music lyrics and television programs spark interest in performing violent acts portrayed in them? The people of Littleton, Colo., believe it.

Regardless of your feelings about Harry Potter or retail mania, Christmas – that is, this time we've set aside as a society to remember Christ's birth – should at least give us pause. We live in a cynical world, where half of our marriages end in divorce, children shoot each other at school and men crash jetliners into crowded office buildings to make a point.

To save us from ourselves, the God of the universe took on our human nature and cleared us a path to righteousness. That hope of salvation is what we celebrate at Christmas. That hope is what keeps us going after days like Sept. 11. That hope is not found in the spirit behind witchcraft or any of its accompanying occult cousins, which worship the creation rather than the Creator.

I encourage you to spend some time this year reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. It's not about gifts or gatherings, decorations or Santa. It's about a tiny baby, born in a manger, to give hope and provide peace to a broken world. Let's not celebrate the birth of the boy-king by gifting our children with the tools of a boy-wizard.