Old Saint Nick

 

A generation ago, a famous writer wrote to an imaginary girl called Virginia. She had inquired as to whether Santa Claus really existed, and he replied with those famous words: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

I will now write to the next generation of "Virginia," but I'll call her Emily. Unfortunately, I won't be quite as positive (and misleading). You are more than welcome to "listen in"...

Emily, you wondered about this character called Santa Claus. If my history is correct, there was a man called Saint Nicklaus—somewhere in Europe, I believe--a couple of centuries ago. Many things that mark this current icon were likely started by him. I know I probably should be more up on my 200-year-old men of history, but I'm not. The point is, there was someone back then that the current bearded gentleman is modeled after.

Whether he always wore a red jump suit, with those furry frills, a big, bushy beard, I cannot say. He probably didn't Coke back in the Old Country, either. Whatever, Santa Claus has become an integral part of how many people celebrate Christmas. Funny, isn't it, that we can delete Christ from Christmas, but we better not mess with Santa.

If you go shopping at this time of year, no matter what mall you end up in, he is there. You can even sit on his lap, if you are small enough. In a day or so, you will hear all sorts of songs about him. I don't know if I can say this here, Emily, but my "favourite" Santa song is by the Beach Boys, "Old Saint Nick."

By I am digressing. You see, Emily, Santa Claus is a figment of our imagination, the mere embodiment of a deep-seated void in all of us. In other words, there is something within all of us that wants a kind, benevolent person to be there, giving things to us, and just being a special presence.

You see, he does exist, yet he doesn't. Let me explain: As I stated earlier, he is everywhere; you can talk to him and he can talk to you. He's in store windows, on Christmas cards, and is very popular with certain ads. So for me to say that there is no Santa Claus would be misleading. The question is: Who is Santa Claus and what does he really represent?

On the other hand, he isn't there. He can't be in every mall right across this country, all at the same time, plus scattered throughout the world. Only one can possibly be real, while all the others must be fakes. That's a harsh reality, but it's true. He is part of the secular side of Christmas, yet his presence suggests something much, much deeper.

One of the things that I really struggle with is the many similarities between Santa and Jesus. Please, Emily, don't assume I'm going into a theological rant at this point. The connection, to me, seems only too obvious. I know that that may make me sound like a religious quack, but I'm not. I may be religious, but I'm not a quack. That's often the tag people are given by others when they don't agree with them. Interesting where tolerance ends and prejudice begins...

Back to my Santa-is-like-Jesus thinking for a moment: When I speak of someone being everywhere at the same time, of knowing whether you are naughty or nice, of giving rewards at his coming, you may be confused—because you don't know whether it's referring to Santa or Jesus. You see, there are too many things seen and said about Santa that should be reserved only for Jesus. And I have a serious problem with that.

He also assumes a larger-than-life persona, a fancy term for being far, far more important than he really is, not unlike athletes or movie stars—or any celebrity, for that matter. You understand what I mean when I say too many of these people (Santa included) are treated as if they were a god of some sort, and this is terribly serious and dangerous.

So, no, Emily, there is no Santa, even though there is an element in all of our hearts that would want to believe in something (or someone) who could fill that Santa role in our individual lives. Perhaps I could discuss that vacuum-shape in all of our hearts some time with you.

You have a very Merry Christmas.