There’s a lot of talk these days that perhaps there is no need for Santa Claus in this modern fast-paced technological era. But I think we still need him, now more than ever.
Santa pops up every December, but what he reminds us of is true every day of the year. Santa reminds us that life is good and that there is some good in everything and everybody. Santa is a symbol of hope and goodness and fairness, and yes, even in the value of being jolly.
I agree with singer Jon Bon Jovi, who said, “Believe in love. Believe in magic. Believe in Santa Claus. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. If you don’t, who will?”
We all have the power to become Santa and we all have the power to make somebody’s holiday bright. After all, the holidays are all about giving and sharing. Isn’t that the spirit of Santa Claus?
The legend of Santa Claus goes back hundreds of years to a number of sources. One of the most likely was a monk later called St. Nicholas, who was born around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. He is said to have given away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. As his popularity spread he became known as the protector of children and sailors. His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6.
The British came to think of him as Father Christmas. The French call him Père Noël. The Dutch call him Sinterklaas, a dialectal pronunciation of Saint Nicholas, and that became Americanized as Santa Claus. Today Santa is known of in most countries around the world as a legendary, even magical, giver of gifts to children.
Whether you believe in him or not, the fact is that we all have the ability to be like Santa. Each of us can make other people’s lives better, if not on a grand scale, at least on a one-to-one basis. If each of us made one person’s life a little brighter, not just family or friends, especially during the holidays, we would all benefit.
Can you find the Santa within your heart? He’s there, if you look for him.
Happy Holidays!
