It's often said, and sometimes with disturbingly malicious glee, that there is no Santa Claus, that he doesn't and has never existed.
Of course many of us know something of the origins of Santa Claus and the different names he has been known by through time and different names he continues to be known by throughout the world. Most of us are familiar with the connection of Nicholas of Myra in what is now modern day Turkey.
Nicholas was know to represent many different things and people, but he is perhaps best known for being the patron saint of children. And the stories are often repeated of how he anonymously would leave coins in the homes of the poor and with small children. From that it's easy to see the evolution of the story of Santa Claus giving children toys for Christmas.
But a conversation yesterday I had with my parents made me think of a rebuttal to those who like to assert that there is no real Santa Claus. Throughout the year and particularly at Christmas there are countless people who donate their time and efforts to help those less fortunate and in need, particularly children. There are those who make the effort to provide something for children of poor and less fortunate families. In their own way are they not being like Santa Claus and St. Nicholas before him?
The real spirit of Santa Claus isn't in the giving of extravagant and expensive gifts and gadgets---that's the hijacked commercial version of Santa. Santa's real spirit is in kindness, compassion, cheer, tolerance and goodwill. After all doesn't "Santa" Claus translate as "Saint" Claus?
In that real sense then Santa Claus exists and is real as his spirit is manifest in everyone and anyone who undertakes to enact a kindness be it large or small. That person, for however long the moment, becomes Santa Claus and whether they're dressed up in a familiar holiday suit or not.
Just a thought for this holiday.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Of course many of us know something of the origins of Santa Claus and the different names he has been known by through time and different names he continues to be known by throughout the world. Most of us are familiar with the connection of Nicholas of Myra in what is now modern day Turkey.
Nicholas was know to represent many different things and people, but he is perhaps best known for being the patron saint of children. And the stories are often repeated of how he anonymously would leave coins in the homes of the poor and with small children. From that it's easy to see the evolution of the story of Santa Claus giving children toys for Christmas.
But a conversation yesterday I had with my parents made me think of a rebuttal to those who like to assert that there is no real Santa Claus. Throughout the year and particularly at Christmas there are countless people who donate their time and efforts to help those less fortunate and in need, particularly children. There are those who make the effort to provide something for children of poor and less fortunate families. In their own way are they not being like Santa Claus and St. Nicholas before him?
The real spirit of Santa Claus isn't in the giving of extravagant and expensive gifts and gadgets---that's the hijacked commercial version of Santa. Santa's real spirit is in kindness, compassion, cheer, tolerance and goodwill. After all doesn't "Santa" Claus translate as "Saint" Claus?
In that real sense then Santa Claus exists and is real as his spirit is manifest in everyone and anyone who undertakes to enact a kindness be it large or small. That person, for however long the moment, becomes Santa Claus and whether they're dressed up in a familiar holiday suit or not.
Just a thought for this holiday.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
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