{Thanks to Goon Squad Sarah for sharing this post on Kirtsy}
Mom, do you believe in Santa Claus?
I get this question more than I get any other one. June 8th, they’ll be asking me. I think it’s because they want to believe what I believe, whether or not they know it can’t be true. They want to believe in me, so they believe in Santa.
I tell them yes every time they ask. When they ask if I ever doubted, I tell them no, but that Santa didn’t come to my house when I was a kid, so I never really believed or didn’t. I tell them that when 1of3 was a tiny baby and I saw the magic of Christmas, the true meaning of it, for the very first time, I had to believe.
That is true. And I do believe in Santa. I believe that you are Santa and I am Santa and that guy in the grocery store who bumps into you and doesn’t even apologize? He’s Santa, too. We parents, we are magic personified. Everything we do is of fairy dust and pixie wishes in the eyes of our children, if we let it be. We are legends, we are gods, we are giants. We are myth and legends. We are earth and sky to these children who just want to believe in us.
We Santas aren’t just the fat guy in the red suit how drops gifts off…we are the symbol of hope and of faith to our children. We are what teaches them that their actions matter, even when no one is looking. We are what allows them to realize that, even though they maybe totally fucked up, there is always the chance for redemption, that no one actually ever leaves coal, that there is always forgiveness and love waiting for you, dry and toasty over the fire.
I believe in Santa Claus, yes I do. I believe in me, I believe in you, I believe in all of us. My son believes that the beams of light that cut through the clouds after a storm and slice the sky in yellow shards are the fingers of god, and he believes that his mother has faith in something purely good and loving and generous and beautiful, and so he knows that he can believe in those things, too.
And that is the greatest gift Santa could ever give a child. Or his jaded old broken grown up mom.
Tagged with: christmas
BusyDad
Wednesday, 23 December, 2009 at 23:43Damn. Between this post and your last one, I’m all glowy. Damn you.
Crystal
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 0:42Oh. Dear.
Love to you from this Canadian Santa!
Audubon Ron
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 3:53WHAT? There’s no Lockness Monster?
I wouldn’t know about the parents thing and as soon as my mother died, it was all the reason I needed to stop speaking to my myth and legends father.
Beth Fish
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 6:49I swear to god I am going to stop reading you if you don’t stop making me cry.
Noelle
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 6:50Mine haven’t started questioning yet – my oldest is 6 and I know it’s coming soon. I’ll have to tell het a resounding ‘yes’. Without Santa, it all falls apart – the Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy.
rachel-asouthernfairytale
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 8:04Goodnight, I love you woman.
Pooba~
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 9:50CONFIDENTIAL~
LADY… wanted you to know that I have stolen some of this post – oh I have changed it a little… and made it my own (I will put your eMail address at the end so if she wants to, she can find you)…. You see my daughter and I just don’t see eye to eye anymore…
She is an adult now,,, all grown up and in her 30′s… used to love me and look up to me and believe in me, now in her 30′s she yells at me and finds fault with me just for breathing! LADY, I’ve always been there for her, through more thin than thick, jumping through all the hoops, making sure her life was bearable… giving up and giving in… swallowing what ever pride a mother has – to lift her up… doing without so she will have… making sure she knew I was proud of her…
So I hope you don’t mine that I thought I’d put your post on her blog – in hopes that she might see…
The LORD works in mysterious ways… maybe this will be one of those Christmas miracles I’ve heard so much about…
Ree
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 11:58Yea, what BusyDad said. Damn you.
Love you dearie. Merry Christmas from the Midwestern Santa.
Yo is Me
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 13:14perfect. beautiful. exactly.
Bridget
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 15:25love this so much.
Corey
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 17:07This was so beautifully written and such great timing. Thank you.
One Mom's Opinion
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 17:19Crying.
Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 19:02Now I feel like a dick for admitting I don’t believe in Santa.
ralph
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 19:58truth, beauty
beauty, truth
that is all ye know
and all ye need know on earth
something like that…
what a beautiful piece of writing
have a happy and healthy holiday
Jenny
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 20:00that was lovely. and just what I needed tonight. thanks for inspiring this mom to be the magic for her kids :)
Dawn
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 20:50I believe…we are what we make it…I believe, it’s gotten lost in my house somewhere…I believe that next year, it will be different, in a good way!!
Stone Fox
Thursday, 24 December, 2009 at 23:58le sigh. thank you, mr. lady. i have never had the words to explain why i can tell my children that santa is fo’ sho’ really real, and still believe that i am telling my kids the truth. this post is all the words i was missing, dear mr. lady.
merry christmas.
battynurse
Friday, 25 December, 2009 at 0:03Wow. I’m speechless. Such a beautiful post.
Marge
Friday, 25 December, 2009 at 9:13Merry Christmas Santa. I miss you and the amazing myths and legends you have always created around you. MWAH (under the mistletoe).
Angry Julie Monday
Friday, 25 December, 2009 at 10:24Merry Christmas to the Lady Family!
Great post!!! I hope you have an awesome 2010!
Jeanette
Friday, 25 December, 2009 at 14:08Fabulous post! You’re right… us parents are the superheroes :)
Sarah
Saturday, 26 December, 2009 at 3:34I love you in impossible ways. Merry Christmas! xoxo
Mrs. Who
Sunday, 27 December, 2009 at 10:41Yes…how beautiful!
Kristi
Sunday, 27 December, 2009 at 12:19Your words have touched me. My 11 year old has maintained her belief in Santa until this year she started questioning more. I haven’t know how to answer the way I have wanted to. Then….I found this post. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, I have my answer.
Glorie OskiZero
Monday, 28 December, 2009 at 12:24what is a “Captcha” ? ? ?
apathy lounge
Monday, 28 December, 2009 at 17:29What I believe in is the IDEA behind Santa. The anonymous gift giver. The mysterious spirit inside each and (almost) every one of us that allows us to–just for a momen–put someone else’s happiness ahead of our own. So, yes, I believe.
apathy lounge
Monday, 28 December, 2009 at 17:30moment. Sorry
Eddie
Monday, 28 December, 2009 at 18:40Santa is Jimmy Hoffa… just saying.
Momo Fali
Monday, 28 December, 2009 at 19:25You’re my Santa. Also, my ho, ho, ho.
Jessi
Tuesday, 29 December, 2009 at 8:44I love you, Lady. I posted something really similar, but you said it better. So, I also hate you. Just so you know.