Yes My Darling There is a Santa Claus
© Mary Pantazis
In the car today my daughter told me that her favorite part of Christmas was watching people open the gifts she selects for them. She has been very quiet all day. Doing a lot of thinking.
At bedtime tonight, she quietly asked me this question.
"Mommy, Is there a Santa Claus?"
Many a child has asked their parent this question. Perhaps this is not a new question to some of you, but it was new to me. I remember asking it when I was her age and I remember my sister telling me about her child asking it. However, tonight I was not the child asking the question, I was the parent responsible for the answer.
My heart ached when the words came from her mouth. I felt a stumble in my tongue and tears welling in my eyes. I held all of this back so that I could tell her the answer I wanted her to hear. I wanted to tell her the answer in such a way that she would not feel pain in her heart for the loss of her childhood belief. I have often rehearsed in my mind the words I would use when the question came my way.
I thought for a minute before I answered the question. Attempting to gain the strength I needed to tell her the truth as I understand it. Words began to flow out of my mouth much easier than I at first had thought.
I explained to her that Santa is the spirit of Giving. Without a belief in Santa there would be no Santa. Yes, I told her Mama and Daddy buy gifts and write tags that say From Santa on them, but Mama and Daddy would not be able to afford those gifts if we did not have faith and believe in Santa. Believing in Santa fills our hearts with love. Love is what makes us want to be Santa and want to see others happy.
When we give to others we are being Santa. I told her the story of St. Nicholas who filled the wooden shoes in Holland. I told her that he died and in order to continue the tradition we all call ourselves Santa when we can give to others.
I told her about a woman I knew who was desperately in need of money to buy gifts for her own children but didn't want anyone to know, even though I did know, and how I took up a collection and then put an envelop in her mailbox that said FROM SANTA so that she would never know where it came from. I told her that being able to play Santa for people is the true spirit of Christmas.
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