What Santa Taught me.
Let me just me honest. I don't believe in Santa. There I said it. You can "unfollow" or "unlike me" now. Go ahead.
Santa was always just a jolly mascot made by a Soda company to sell pop way back in the day.
My parents were conservative about Christmas. Therefore, no Christmas tree, no presents from St. Nick. Every present we got, was from "Mom & Dad," or "Jesus."
But it wasn't until I worked next to Santa, that I realized that he could teach me something amazing...
It all started out at a nursing home.
I was asked to take pictures of Santa, the Mrs. whatever children came by the booth. At first, it was TORTURE (to be honest.)
A line of screaming kids with nice outfits, being pushed onto an old-person's lap that they've never met. And then they are made to sit there while some random lady takes their picture.
I did what any photographer would do, take the picture and go to the next person.
But then I started to rush Santa.
And this was the BEST Santa that I've ever seen. Authentic beard, suit, the WHOLE deal. He had been working in the business for 15 years. He get's booked out 12 months ahead of time. He didn't have a website, or a business card. But yet he is always busy during the holidays! (How did he do it?)
The best thing though, is that he refuses to take money. He visits hospitals, nursing home and many other places to just spend time with people. He only works for Charitable Organizations. Talk about the true spirit of Christmas right there.
So now you know why I felt bad about rushing Santa.
It wasn't just about "taking the picture," It was about him asking the child, His favorite question.
You might think that his favorite question was "What do you want for Christmas?" But you would be wrong.
Instead of asking," What do you want for Christmas?" He asked,"Who do you want to spend Christmas with?" or "What do you usually do during the holidays?" Or even, "What are you going to give this Christmas?"
This made me think.
Meanwhile, while I was pondering this idea in my head, my husband calls me to tell me that a lady at our Church with three boys had just had a fire in her house. She won't be able to live in her house, now filled with smoke stains and ashes, for another 6 months.
They had lost EVERYTHING, right before Christmas.
I was so devastated inside, not knowing what I could do to help her. I just thought about those boys and how all their Christmas presents and toys would be missing Christmas morning.
I thought about getting them all giftcards to Toy R Us for Christmas, so that they could have presents.
But then I saw her Facebook pictures of them camping out with the little they had salvaged in their hotel room.
I looked at the boys faces. The boys were HAPPY.
They were HAPPY?
How could they be happy when they just lost everything? How could they be happy when Christmas morning has to be spent in a hotel with just the clothes on their back?
I think they know something about Santa's Secret.
I think they know what the Grinch found out right after he heart grew three sizes, That "Christmas doesn't come from a store. Christmas perhaps, is a little bit more."
You see, Santa reminded me of a very important Christmas lesson. That WHO we spend Christmas with is more important than what we SPEND for Christmas.
So do I believe in Santa? I don't know, I'm too busy baking cookies and getting my letter written, just in time for Christmas Eve.
Christal
Like us on facebook:
follow us on instagram:
follow us on twitter:
Follow us on pinterest: