by Abigail Winston

Created on: November 30, 2010

     Santa Claus is not a mythological figure. He existed. He was an Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Turkey and  was canonized as a saint—Saint Nicholas: the patron saint of children. His reindeer, elves, sleigh and  North Pole residence are mythological inventions. So, to discuss Santa Claus with a child, parents need to know what they believe because that is what they will ultimately pass on to their child in every conversation—whether it’s based on fact or fiction. It is through the art of conversation, that we learn a great deal about ourselves and others.

     It is hard to predict where conversations on any topic may lead. With adults, the focus usually remains on the issue, while with children the focus may turn on a dime to something quite different from the original discussion.

     During a recent five minute quiz session with my six-year old, Michael, my mind went from answering questions of fact to fact-fantasy to philosophical reasons of why I was insisting on babbling a load of hooey to my quick-witted, practical child.

     One afternoon while out driving in the car Michael started discussing geography.

     “Mom, are there any volcanoes in New York State?” he asked.

     “No, mainly they are out west near the Pacific Ocean. There are many on the islands of Hawaii,” I added.

     “Are there any under the ocean?”

     “Yes there are,” I told him.

     “Has anyone ever seen them?” he asked.

     “Explorers and divers have been down there and discovered them,” I answered.

     “Have they ever been to the bottom of the ocean?” he wondered.

     “Yes or as near the bottom as the technology available will allow. They need specialized pressure equipment to go that deep under the water.”

     “Have explorers ever been to the top of the highest mountain?” he continued.

     “Yes.”

     “Where is it?”

     “In Asia. Mt. Everest in the Himalayan mountain range,” I told him, scouring the cobwebs in my mind trying to retrieve the facts I knew were buried in there somewhere.

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