Santa Clause, the Magic Lives On

by Suzanne Tredo from Catholic Life News

 

Bridget could not stop thinking about Christmas.  The town was decorated beautifully.  Her neighborhood, however, was only sparsely decorated as most of the families were Jewish.  Bridget had seen Santa in the mall and outside of many stores ringing bells.  She was in awe each time she spotted him.  Bridget had asked Santa for the Cat in the Hat game.  She knew he would be visiting her home Christmas Eve and had been deciding which type of cookies to lay out for him.  She knew it was important to leave carrots for the reindeer and was especially excited to have Rudolph on her roof.  Bridget’s parents has arranged for her to watch all the Christmas specials and the closer Christmas drew, the greater Bridget’s excitement grew.

 

Bridget was far too young to learn “the truth” about Santa Clause.  She never questioned why Santa was in all those different places.  She never wondered why Santa did not visit her best friends’ homes (who were all Jewish).  Bridget fully accepted that Santa would land upon her rooftop, slide down the chimney and leave her a bundle of wonderful gifts. 

 

Bridget may not have wondered why Santa did not visit her friends, but her friends did.  Scot, one of her best friends had been questioning his mom as to why he was neglected by the North Pole express.  When he learned “the truth” he shared it with Bridget.  She became very angry and upset.  She insisted he was wrong and ran home to her mother.  With tears running down her face, Bridget told her mother the terrible lie Scot had told her.

 

This was a moment Bridget’s mother was not looking forward to.  She knew eventually she would have to explain “the truth” to her daughter but she wasn’t expecting it to be this soon or this harsh.  It was in that moment that Bridget’s mother decided to explain to Bridget that a man once lived who was kind and loving to children and loved Jesus very much.  This man, named Nicholas, helped children because of his love for Jesus.  As all those who love Jesus go to heaven when they die, so did Nicholas.  She continued to explain that Nicolas was Santa Clause and was still alive in heaven but needed all the mothers and fathers here on earth to help him help children.  He needed the parents to teach their children about Jesus. 

 

Bridget was satisfied with this explanation.  Her mother had not only kept the magic alive for a little girl who was too young to hear otherwise.  She explained “the truth” about the communion of saints.  The mother’s story about the life of St Nicholas may or may not have been accurate but the theology was correct. 

 

Christmas came and went.  The Cat and the Hat game was under the tree as Bridget had hoped and the magic of Santa Clause lived on for Bridget; not only for that year but for a lifetime.