by Cathy Wilson

Created on: January 30, 2011

Who says it's a myth?  Why are people always looking for the negative in things?  At what point in life does a person decide to question beliefs that only brings them happiness?  When do we flick the switch and turn off our imaginations, our beliefs in thoughts and theories that aren't black and white.  At what age do we stop believing and turn so serious?  

I remember sitting on Santa Claus's knee as a child, wowed with anticipation and wonder.  My mind allowed Santa to be real and it still does.  For those few precious moments my heart swells and only happiness manifests within me.  I forget about the everyday stresses, bills, appointments, work.  Funny how a simple belief puts a smile on so many faces, including mine.

Children deserve to dream, to imagine Santa's elves making toys, checking lists twice and reindeer taking test runs for the big day.  Looking over their shoulder from time to time to see if Santa really is keeping tabs on them.  Children should be allowed to believe without interference from the scrooges of the world, mainly adults.  It's like taking a toy away from a baby.  Is it wrong the baby is laughing with delight thinking his talking Elmo toy is real? No it isn't.  We don't make a point of telling the baby to stop being happy because 'Elmo' isn't real!  We let them be happy in believing.  We are happy watching 'the babies' of the world, why are we in such a rush to take that away from them.  To push away our children's imaginations, challenge their uninhibited beliefs, force them to look at black and white, rather than grey.  

Now I understand there are differing perceptions on Santa Claus, and understandably so.  Children will question us seeking 'the truth.'  Well ultimately 'the truth' is whatever one believes it to be.  I believe there is a Santa out there, or someone symbolizing Santa, that helps those families that would otherwise do without.  Now for most families that can, the parents do help with most of it, but not all of it.  Each year there is always something 'peculiar' that happens.  An unmarked gift or two beneath the tree, an unexplained note, a new ornament or a replaced string of lights in the tree that nobody recalls doing.  A gesture of love that seems to have no giver!   Could the 'give' be Santa?  Or how about the other miracles around Christmas.  Like your mother getting out of the hospital just in time for Christmas or your wife getting a raise just when you were looking into getting a second job.  How do we explain these things?

Well we shouldn't explain these things, just allow our children and ourselves to believe, believe in Santa and all his crazy elves and reindeer.  Teach our children to challenge the black and white and to enjoy the grey, understanding there is nothing but good when they truly believe. 

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