Why I Believe in Santa

Thirty three years ago today was the Christmas Eve of my 6th year. I had such high hopes for the following day. “Maybe Santa will bring me the Rockem sockem robots I hope he brings me the Lite Bright.”

We weren’t well off, but I didn’t know any better.

We baked cookies, and made cocoa it was normal like many Christmas traditions. My folks were still together and I remember my father giving me a wind up Santa riding a bike. I took it out badk and let him drive in circles on the small patio out back of our rented Townhome.

Christmas for a 6 year old was a magical time. In retrospect, I now realize adults took a responsibility to keep it magical.

I believed in Santa to an unusually old age of 9 or 10 years old. I faced the ridicule of classmates and friends because of this. But the fact was, I saw the Jolly Old Elf making a middle of the night delivery. And no, it wasn’t my Dad dressed up.

That night 33 years ago today I was woken by our pet dog Muffin at the top of the stairs. She was barking up a storm. I was instantly awake. “Is she barking at Santa?”

I ran to the top of the stairs and knelt beside her and looked down at the front door. Sure enough, there was a man wearing Santa’s clothes and a bag over his back. Due to a bright streetlamp outside the door, he could be seen inside the house. I was speechless, but then I heard Dad from his room upstairs say “Brad, can you quiet that dog down?” My mom whispered just loud enough to hear “John, she’s barking pretty loud, you might want to go check it out.” He mumbled something, but never got out of bed.

I looked back down the stairs and saw Santa leave by the front door. My parents had told me earlier since we didn’t have a fireplace, Santa would have to use one of the doors. “Dad!” I yelled. “I saw Santa! He just left.” My Dad murmered I had better get back to bed so Christmas would come sooner.

As I mentioned before, I was nine or ten before I found out the truth about that night. A six year old could not have dealt with that reality. It was carefully concealed for years until I was old enough to handle it.

The world is sometimes hard. It can be unforgiving, cold and terrifying. But Santa is always warm and jolly. He’s a magic for children who don’t need to know the real world – not yet.

He represents giving without expecting anything in return. He is a symbol of what is good about humanity.

That’s why at 39 I still think Santa is wonderful and why I still believe.

Have a Merry Christmas!