I Believe

Is there a Santa Claus? Many adults believe there isn't, but I ain't one of them. There was a real St. Nicolas and you can read about him right here. But how did that guy turn into a mystical figure of love and light . . . and video game systems? Well, pagans will tell you he derived from Odin, a Germanic god who would ride his flying eight-legged horse Sleipnir through the sky, stopping to fill children's boots with yummy treats.

The Dutch claim Sinterklaas to be the origin. Then there's Tomte, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle—the list goes on. The thing is, it all stems from one ideal: a kindly old man brings presents to the good children of the world.

But, that guy is dead, and get real, no one's going to slide down my chimney on Christmas Eve to leave any presents. It's all a lie!

Whoa . . . hold on there folks. Haven't you ever believed in anything magic? Don't you think special things can happen, even to you? You need to rewire the way you think. What's a man? What's a chimney? What's a present? What's a child? What's really real?

Santa brings me at least one present every year. Sometimes it's something I didn't even ask for, but I can feel it in my heart when it comes. The truth is there are tons of families this Christmas who won't get any presents, who don't have enough money to heat their house, if they have a house at all. The truth is many folks won't see any wrapped gifts, or stockings filled with yummy treats. Children will be hungry, sad, feel defeated and alone in this great, big world.

But remember, a gift can be invisible to the eye, and yet so big, so beautiful, so important that there couldn't possibly be enough wrapping paper to cover it. These kind of gifts are the ones Santa leaves the most. The gift of a family being together, of a child seeing what true love is, of a mother being able to feed her child, of a father coming home from the war.

Yes, I believe in Santa. I feel his spirit every single Christmas. Don't let those smarties tell you it's all a lie and that the truth is blah, blah, this and blah, blah that. Give yourself a gift this season: let yourself have stupid, childish faith in something the rest of the world demands isn't real.

That's all I guess. Gotta go make some cookies and pour a glass of milk.