09 November 2005

Santa Claus

I'm so damn

Although we haven't yet even come upon Thanksgiving (as is evident by the lack of me consuming way too many cold turkey sandwiches and thus swearing off the misbegotten bird for at least another year), I'm already feeling the Christmas spirit. Perhaps because I'll be visiting the love of my life for the holidays.

How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus? I remember having a conversation with my best friend at the time, when we were 10 years old. She said very smugly that there was no Santa. She took my silence on the matter as agreement, and when asked by another friend what we'd been discussing she replied "Santa Claus, and how we don't believe in him."

I kept my silence, but felt very sorry for her. Because I still very much believed. How else did I get such wonderful gifts on Christmas morning? I knew my family was poor (Living in Richkidville, that was pointed out with some regularity). And yet every year, I found beneath the tree unwrapped gifts, with only a bow and a tag reading "Love, Santa" on them. Those were always the best ones. The wrapped ones from my mom and dad were good too, but if it was a Lite Brite, or a Chemistry Set, or any other such thing that lit up my eyes, it was sure to be from Santa.

Growing up, my dad only lived with us off and on. And I realize now that every year my mom spent money she couldn't afford and gave up things she wanted so that I could find those things under the tree on Christmas morning. When I have children of my own, I hope to be even half as good a mom and friend as my mom has always been to me. She was an amazing mom while I was growing up, and she's one of my best friends now. But I digress.

There comes a time for everyone, when we realize that the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa and The Great Monkey aren't real. Wait. What? You never heard of that last one? C'mon! Don't tell me you didn't leave Bananas out once a year in return for magical monkey hair clippings left 'neath your pillow? You didn't? Oh. Um... yeah. Me neither.

But I'll let you all in on a little secret. I still believe in Santa Claus. I try to treat people kindly and offer any help I have to give to anyone who need it all year round. (I don't always succeed, but I always try.) But there's something about Christmas that inspires us to do even more. It puts a glow in your heart. And maybe every act of generosity and kindness creates a kind of spark inside our hearts. And maybe once a year, all of our beautiful, glowing embers together fly to the heavens and bring Santa to life.

Happy (early) Holidays and thanks for reading.

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