The Importance of Santa Claus

One the the oldest and dearest traditions of the holiday season can sometimes be one of the most challenging to deal with in our modern world. That would be the notion of Santa Claus.

Some people cherish the idea and their children love it. But there are some adults who feel like they are being deceitful. You also have the children who can be cruel to those who still believe at a certain age. It’s time to clear some things up.

First, as you probably know, the character of Santa Claus is indeed based on a historical human being. That is St. Nicholas, of the region of Myra in Asia Minor from about the years 270-343. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra and is the patron of several things including the countries of Russia and Greece; charitable fraternities and guilds; children, sailors, unmarried girls, merchants, and pawnbrokers; and of the cities as Fribourg, in Switzerland, and Moscow. As one might find understandable, he was often associated with generosity.

Now, that we have that out of the way, how did we arrive at our modern version? Well, through centuries of folklore, artistic license and more, the legend grew, Although some think the current portrayal is the result of advertising, it existed long before television commercials.

Okay, let’s move on from what may read like a textbook or lecture notes to the more emotional and philosophical view.

One of the questions every child eventually asks is if Santa Claus is real. This may seem like a simple question with a yes or no answer. It’s a little more complex than you might think. The fact is that “real” has more than one simple meaning and as such one can indeed conclude that Santa Claus is indeed real.

He is real in the sense that he is an idea, one that all adults and children alike can learn from and should incorporate into who they are and how they behave. It’s not about a particular religion, a specific look and it’s definitely not about material goods. The legend is far deeper and more important than any of those things.

The entire legend revolves around some simple yet valuable ideals. These ideals represent the best of humanity through the ages and hope for the future.

First, there is the previously mentioned concept of generosity. This one is kind of obvious but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. As children we are taught to share and when we give someone else a gift, either in a physical sense or in some other way, we feel a sense of warmth.

Second, there is a sense of universality, the Santa Claus figure cherishes people of all races and genders. He does not discriminate against anyone based on arbitrary ideas and superficial and shallow factors.

Third, we can appreciate a sense of innocence and the wonder of youth. We are only young for a short time and the more complicated our world grows the easier it is to lose that innocence at younger and younger ages. We need to appreciate and celebrate it as long as we are able to do so.

Last but not least, it’s about love. Not the generic kind in which we overuse the word to describe everything from our favorite television shows to our favorite snacks but the genuine care for our fellow man and woman. That’s what truly makes Santa Claus an enduring figure.

So, the next time someone wants to discuss whether or not it is appropriate for children to be taught to believe in Santa Claus, consider the very real ideas he represents and focus on that rather than an image of a person, Make that your priority and you can’t go wrong.