What If Santa Were Real?
Set aside how the traditions surrounding Santa Claus began. Set aside the commonly heard refrain that Christmas has become too commercial. Set aside whether you ever once believed in Santa Claus or not.
And ask yourself–what if Santa were real? What would be different if we lived in a world where, once every year, a jolly fat man in red slid down our chimneys to leave us either gifts or coal based on our actions of the past year?
There’d be a run on cookies and milk on Christmas Eve, since we wouldn’t want Santa to drop from hunger or low blood sugar halfway through his round-the-world trip.
We’d all build double-wide chimneys into our homes. Let’s face it, I don’t care how much magic he has, Santa isn’t fitting down a chimney pipe the size of my thigh. We’d also have to reinforce our roofs because mine isn’t going to support the weight of eight to nine reindeer (depending on whether Rudolph is flying that night), a sleigh, presents, and a fat man.
We’d stop singing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” I’d rather not spread rumors about Santa’s fidelity and risk making Mrs. Claus jealous.
The world would have a little more laughter. Something about Santa’s laugh is infectious in the same way a happy child’s laugh is infectious.
We’d evaluate all our actions in terms of naughty or nice. Last week wasn’t a good week for me, but in the midst of the craziness, I had three chances to look beyond what I wanted and at what would be best for someone else. They weren’t convenient, but I don’t just want to be nice when it suits me. I want to be nice all the time—the way I would be if Santa really existed and recorded every action in an eternal ledger. I wouldn’t want to even take the chance that, in the end, I’d come out more naughty than nice.
We’d have to abandon cynicism for hope. In Miracle on 34th Street, six-year-old Susan asks for a house. And she gets it because Santa is real. The guilt you feel because you can’t provide your kids with the Christmas you’d like to? Write to Santa, and you just might get it anyway. If Santa were real, it would mean anything was possible.
While we might not be able to make anything possible, I think we can switch cynicism for hope the way we would if Santa really existed.
The Detroit radio station I listen to accepted letters where you could nominate someone who deserved a special Christmas, calling it Christmas On Us. Among those chosen was a young woman raising her little brother after their parents died. Because their mom didn’t have life insurance, they’d used everything they had to pay for her funeral. This young woman received a fully decorated Christmas tree, a year’s worth of flowers, a spa treatment, and $600 in Meijer’s gift cards. Enough to make her and her brother’s Christmas special.
I recently had the privilege of interviewing Paula Matchett, co-owner (with her husband) of Danny’s Improvements. They’ve started The ROOF Project to give a free new roof to one deserving family a year.
Blogger Amber West founded the #GoWithout Movement. The idea is that, even in tough economic times, we can give up something small. And with hundreds of people doing something small, we can suddenly do what previously seemed impossible.
The choice is ours. Will this year be the year we choose to be nice whether it’s convenient or not? To replace cynicism with hope? Will you chose 2012 to be the year you act as if Santa were real?
Dec 22, 2011 @ 08:53:35
Wonderful post, Emma. We CAN choose to be nice even when it’s not convenient. Keep the Christmas spirit all year long. My number one goal for 2012
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:31:35
Thanks 🙂 I firmly believe that if enough people make that decision it does make a difference.
Dec 22, 2011 @ 09:46:09
Luv this so much I’m going to put it in my mash-up.
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:28:31
Thanks! I’m thrilled to be included 🙂
Dec 22, 2011 @ 10:43:15
Why didn’t I know you were in the Detroit area? I lived there for years and years. Now in Traverse City in the summers. [And you’re not suggesting Santa isn’t real, are you???!!]
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:30:13
We’re very close to Detroit actually. When my husband was still living in Virginia (before we got married), we used the Detroit airport to fly to see each other because it was so convenient (and less expensive than flying from Toronto).
[I would never do such a thing :)]
Dec 22, 2011 @ 11:23:57
I hope we can choose to give and to be kind, not just at Christmas, but ALL the time.
Great post!
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:30:57
Thanks, Julie 🙂 I think that’s really the thing to remember is that the goodwill and kindness of this season needs to stretch all year round.
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Dec 22, 2011 @ 12:37:11
Well, I believe in Santa. He leaves me presents every year, so he must be real! I think that being kind as much as possible, just to be kind is a great thing. Maybe we do need to remind adults to behave as if Santa were watching. It works with kids. All those things you mentioned are what Christmas is all about, to me. People coming together and helping each other out. Kindness to strangers. Santa must be real!
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:33:57
Really great point. It does work for kids. When I was little, “you need to be nice to your brother or Santa won’t bring you anything for Christmas” had a really powerful effect, especially the closer the holidays came. If only more adults still believed . . .
Dec 22, 2011 @ 13:53:34
That’s a beautiful thought! I particularly like the “naughty or nice” choice 🙂 That would be something.
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:34:21
Thanks 😉
Dec 22, 2011 @ 16:53:10
If???? What do you mean, if??? Oh baby, indeed there is a Santa Clause, never doubt that.
Merry Christmas everybody, bless you, one and all.
Dec 22, 2011 @ 17:02:56
Merry Christmas to you too, Prudence! I hope you have a wonderful holiday season 🙂
Dec 22, 2011 @ 18:28:09
Now there’s an idea I can get behind! Now if only everyone else will do the same… Thanks for sharing, and Merry Christmas!
Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:15:27
Merry Christmas to you too 🙂
Dec 22, 2011 @ 20:24:57
Marcy, yesterday I did my annual ‘wander the malls and see what’s happening’. I like to feel the energy and see the sales and watch people.
Yesterday was fascinating. people were laughing and joking in line ups. they were holding doors, smiling and joking. It was one of the nicest shopping events I’ve seen in a long time. So perhaps a little bit of Santa’s spirit hit Calgary’s largest mall yesterday.
merry Christmas
Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:16:08
That’s so nice to hear. Maybe it is spreading!
Merry Christmas 🙂
Dec 23, 2011 @ 09:57:38
I’ve never doubted that Santa is real, so this post is confusing to me. ; )
There is something about this time of year that is more magical than the rest, which I’d hate to lose, but if we could keep the spirit of the season with us all year, that would be super fabulous. Treating each other with kindness, doing spontaneous acts of generosity, that kind of thing. It would be like sprinkling a bit of Christmas magic throughout our daily lives. I can’t help but wonder what a kinder, gentler world we might have.
Happy Christmas, Marcy!
Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:19:08
That’s it exactly. Christmas is always going to be an extra-special time, but if we could store up some of the special to spread throughout the rest of the year, just imagine what would be possible 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:13:15
Great post and yes, I choose 2012 to be the year that anything is possible!! 🙂
Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:19:52
:):)
I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a wonderful 2012.
Dec 23, 2011 @ 23:32:45
Fantastic post! A beautiful way to inspire people to hope and help improve the world. Small steps!
Dec 24, 2011 @ 09:17:49
Thanks 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Dec 23, 2011 @ 23:46:55
Can you imagine the papparazzi if Santa Claus were real? Poor guy. No wonder he stays anonymous. 😉
Merry Christmas, Marcy!
Twitter: @kbowenwriter
URL (your system would accept it): kbowenmysteries.com
Dec 23, 2011 @ 23:47:28
that’s “would NOT” accept it, lol. It’s getting late.
Dec 24, 2011 @ 09:19:39
They’d make millions on a picture of him with crumbs in his beard 😉
Merry Christmas to you too.
(P.S. Good thinking on the URL. I’ve been trying to find out why it accepts most people’s but not everyone’s. Might have to ask my website designer.)
Merry Christmas From Marcy & Lisa | Marcy Kennedy & Lisa Hall-Wilson
Dec 29, 2011 @ 06:35:11
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