For my kids and anyone else who might wonder if they should still believe in Santa…

Christmas morning has always been about the magic. The excitement in the air was enough to make any kid explode! This magic was never just Christmas morning however. In my house, the Christmas season has always been about the anticipation of the arrival of Santa and the celebration of the birth of Christ. The anticipation and the enjoyment of each and every step, event, party, and tradition has always been what brings us joy at the holidays! Joy is from watching how wonderful people truly can be to each other. Joy is seeing miracles happen when people come together. Joy is just being with loved ones and appreciating what and who we are so very blessed to have in our lives. The magic of the Christmas season has always and will always be something available to each and every one of us, if we choose to see it. So, a little history lesson to help you see where some traditions have come from…

St. Nicholas was a real person. He was Bishop of Myra in the third century. He came from an affluent family, was orphaned, and raised by his uncle. He became a saint because of the people he saved. He was generous with his riches and loved giving gifts, especially to children. Nicholas was a Christian and extremely vocal when it came to defending Jesus as the son of God. He died on December 6th. The story of St. Nicholas and his life is true. His generosity and his love for Jesus are both a part of the legacy he left behind.

I remember driving with my mom and my best friend somewhere. It was towards the end of September and there was a little chill in the air. We girls were in the back of the caravan and my mom put on the Christmas music. Now I cannot remember if she did it on her own or if we asked for it, but we all sang along and had fun thinking about the season that lay ahead. It became kind of a joke as each year came along. How long will we wait after Labor Day to start playing the Christmas music? There was no social media back then, so nobody to start a huge controversy and try to tell us we were nuts. (Well, there were probably a few friends at school, but we ignored them!) Why wouldn’t we want to listen to Christmas music a little early? The Christmas season brought such magic! It wasn’t just the magic of Santa. It wasn’t just making a list for Santa and the thrill of waiting for Christmas morning until everyone was awake. It was so much more than presents. I have always felt the magic! There is a wonder to the season! Christmas lights spread glitter on the world around us. People that haven’t spoken all year make that phone call or pay that visit. We bake and cook and are brought back by scents reminiscent of places and people and things that have made a difference in our lives and, many times, made us who we are today.

There is a solid difference in the world at Christmastime. But, as in happiness, it’s all about our perspective. Just as we choose whether or not we will be happy regardless of the world around us, we also choose whether or not to see the magic regardless of other’s opinions.

People give more during the holidays. This is true around the world. In the name of St. Nicholas and his legend, we celebrate, not only the birth of Jesus, but the magic that surrounds the entire time of year! St. Nicholas Day is December 6th, but, over time, his generosity and legend have been celebrated as part of the celebration of the day when we also celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Over thousands of years, traditions have been created that promote generosity and giving in the name of Jesus. Both men lived to serve others. What better way to come together and honor their lives than through similar traditions? Now, obviously as society changes, traditions do change as well. Some traditions, however, do stay the same.

Every year as the days get shorter and the darkness comes earlier (especially here in New England), the world around us becomes alive in the shower and sparkle of dots of Christmas lights. As we are out and about, we see beautiful decorations and festive displays. The grocery stores restock our favorite holiday treats. We see the joy and anticipation in children as they are warned to be good or they won’t be on the nice list (as they bounce off the walls from excitement). It’s an exciting time of year! Christmas is here! There are miracles all around us, all year long. For the month or so leading up to Christmas, we see these miracles clearer. Hearts are open. Generosity abounds!

I have many memories from my past 47 Christmases. I remember the excitement of seeing my cousins that I didn’t see much throughout the year. I remember my mom’s recipes, her meatballs, her sweet bread. I remember going to the mall to shop with my friends and the pure joy in deciding what to get for my brother. Would it be a joke gift from Spencer’s this year? Most definitely! I remember church with my mother on Christmas Eve and her voice just a bit off-key singing Adeste Fideles. Then we would drive past the billions of lights at LA Salette Shrine to my aunt’s house where I would get to play with my cousins for a second time in just a few weeks! I remember Santa always making a visit there and the beautiful hand crafted gifts that my aunt had taken the time to create for each of her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and siblings. I remember hearing old stories and loved thinking about my mom as a kid. As I grew older, new traditions began and some of the old were lost, but the magic is always still here, waiting for us to open our eyes and our hearts to see it. As a mother, some traditions from my childhood have held the test of time and some have been added while others have changed. I don’t remember all the gifts I received from Santa or from my parents throughout the years. There are a few I remember that stood out, but mostly because they were super funny joke gifts and laughing is my favorite.

There has never in my life been a time when I stopped believing in Santa Claus. He brings magic to me and my life and very clearly to the world in a similar way that we honor Jesus and his love for all people. As both men are celebrated each year, we are invited to not only believe in the magic ourselves, but to spread this magic to others!

Getting to be a parent at Christmas made the holiday even better. Bringing this magic to my own children is a gift like no other. It’s so clear to see the magic reflected in their eyes. If you ever stop believing, just watch a child at Christmas. Look at the wonder and joy in their faces. Wonder and joy that fill the soul with such love! As a parent, I have created magic for my children, but I have also still seen it around me!

I will assume that if you believe in Christmas and the true meaning of it, that you also believe in God. We believe in God without seeing an actual person in front of us, without what some would call tangible evidence. We walk in faith! We choose to believe in something, in someone, we have never seen in physical form! We base this on stories we have heard from our pasts and on traditions, but also possibly on the miracles we see throughout our lives. We may have times in our lives when we question what we believe in, as our children tend to do with Santa as they get into their early tween years. We learn in the church that questioning faith is indeed a part of faith! We question faith and God, but then we also pray to God in tragedy and thank God in good times. For most people, we question, but still, as part of our core beliefs, we do believe there is a God. Why is it so hard for some people to believe in Santa Claus in this exact same way?

If you are a kid questioning the existence of St. Nick, a parent hoping to keep the magic alive for your children and for yourself, or anyone who may have stopped believing years ago, I invite you back. I invite you to see the magic. I invite you to open your heart. I invite you to experience the wonder that is the Christmas season. I ask you, what harm does it do to choose to see love, magic, and generosity all around you? I know I believe in Santa Claus! Do you?