IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19981, 24 December 1926, Page 26

IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

“I wouldn’t think of robbing my children of Santa Claus. They simply love to hang up their stockings and dream of the good Christmas saint coming in his sleigh to lill them. Why, Christmas would be spoiled for them! 1 want them to believe in (Santa Claus just as long as they can. “I wouldn't dream of lying to my children by telling them that Santa Claus came down the chimney and filled their stockings. 1 don’t believe in deceiving them and stuffing their heads with nonsense. No, indeed, 1 never allow any silly talk about Santa Claus in my house!” Which of these mothers is right! 1 1 suppose we all incline to one side or the other; but I wonder whether there is not some justice in both points of view. Not that we should ever deceive our children by telling them that there is a flesh and ' blood old man who drives a reindeer sleigh and descends chimneys to give presents to good children—that way surely trouble lies. But neither, I believe, need we utterly banish (Santa Claus from the list of Christmas joys. Children dearly love mysteries, secrets, surprises, make-believes, and Santa Claus is the most delightful mystery and make-believe of them all. On a December evening before the open fire when daddy has finished reading “The Night Before Christinas,” Janey, aged six, and Junior, aged four, are likely to ask, “Did the man really see Santa Claus? Is there really and truly a Santa Claus?” If I were daddy or mother, I think I should answer something like this: “Well, 1 never saw Santa Claus, and I never met anyone who said they had seen him. He must be like the fairies, a nice make-believe sort of person, more fat and jolly and kind than any real person could possibly be.” When we are very young, make-believes are just as satisfactory as flesh and blood folk —frequently more so! When the children are a little older, they will enjoy the legend of the good Saint Nicholas —perhaps based upon the personality of some obscure, but noble soul—who walked the streets of mediaeval Germany doing good by stealth, and who especially loved little children. One night a family of hungry children were praying for bread when the good saint passed by and threw three loaves of bread in at their window, then hurried away to avoid their thanks. In memory of this deed, the statues of Saint Nicholas —or Santa Claus, as he was affectionately nicknamed —always have at their feet three sculptured loaves. But the joy and mystery of Santa Claus should never so fill the children’s minds that they forget whose birthday we celebrate on Christmas. Help them remember that on His birthday, we should give Him gifts not only by giving gifts to each other, but by being more loving, more generous, more kindly. No child is too little to make some tiny gift which shall convey the spirit of Santa Claus and the beauty of the Christ Child.—Modern Priscilla.