It’s Christmas Eve. Aside from their birthday, I’d argue that this is the most exciting day of the year for a child. An entire season spent building up to tonight. Waiting for the jolly old elf to squeeze down their chimney or window to lay presents for them under the Christmas tree.
As we get older, we tend to lose that excitement. Instead it’s spent stressing over the end of year tasks that need to be finished. The reports at work that need to be tabulated, or the sales targets that need to be met (especially true this year). On top of that, working hard to try and make Christmas the special time of year we all expect it to be. Getting that perfect present, and finding the best foods to prepare. We tend to put the magic of the season aside in favour of the more practical points of Christmas. The wonder and magic of Christmas is delegated to the kids. Things like Santa is just a childish notion that we’re supposed to grow out of anyways. Or should we?
Think back to when you were a child. The magic and wonder of Christmas Eve and Day. Going to sleep and waking up to find presents where there weren’t any presents before. It is by all definition magic. And it worked. Why did it work though? It’s a perfectly ridiculous notion, or expecting a fat man in a red suit to break into your house, to leave something. It takes an incredible leap of faith to believe that this will happen. Yet, each year that faith of children is rewarded.
Santa’s power isn’t in gift giving. If you think back to your childhood, Santa is the first time your faith is rewarded. There is no reason to expect it be so, but you still held on to that faith. And each Christmas morning that promise was upheld.
It’s tiresome to once again reflect on the mess that was 2020. This is a year that no one wanted to have. Quite frankly there was very little positives that came out of it. At this point, it’s better to look to the future. Before we do though, it might be poignant to remember that faith we had in Santa Claus. And how it came true. Maybe as we head into 2021, we take that faith we had in Santa as a child and put it in each other.
A little generosity and understanding can go a long way. Empathy has been the currency of 2020, I don’t see any reason why that can’t continue into 2021. We still have a ways to go until we are safely out of the threat of COVID-19. Keeping the spirit of Santa alive for a little while after Christmas is over, isn’t going to hurt anyone. In fact it might just get us through the winter. Just something to think about as we head into what is the no doubt the weirdest and abnormal Christmas season in a generation.
As I close off this entry, just let me say to you all Merry Christmas wherever you are, whatever you believe and to whomever you are with.
Joel MacLeod.ca 