Santa Claus is everybody

The knowledge of Santa Claus has been around for centuries.  In Turkey he was a religious bishop who lived in what is now called province of Turkey.  He was said to have a generous spirit and gave to the poor of the town.  He was later canonized as Saint Nicholas of Myra. In Germany, he was the holy Saint Nicholas who saved children from a demon and later used the demon to help him bring gifts to the children.  In America, he is Santa Claus, derived from the name Sinterklass, a Dutch old man who was kind and gave to children at Christmas time.

But who really is Santa Claus?  Let’s look at what he is not.  He is not an omnipresent being who can be at all places at the same time.  He is not the one who comes to your house while you are sleeping on Christmas Eve and fills your living room or wherever your tree is with presents.  He is not capable of flying a sleigh and he does not have any reindeer that fly.  He does not know when you are good or when you are bad and cannot see you everywhere you go. 

He is not real.  There I said it. At least not in the sense three year old think.  So what am I saying is Santa Claus real or not?  And if he is real who is Santa Claus?  Santa Claus is that single mother who after working sixteen hour shifts finally can afford a couple of presents under the tree for her children.  Santa Claus is the person who visits the nursing home on Christmas day to wish people who have been forgotten by their families merry Christmas. 

Santa Claus is the husband who has just been laid off from his job, comes home and smiles at his wife and children and doesn’t take it out on them.  Santa Claus is that mother and father who have recently lost a child in death, who buy gifts for the neighbor’s children up the street. Santa Claus is that child who when you feel the lowest in your life, wrap their arms around you and say I love you.   Santa Claus is a man, woman,  or child, black, white, red or yellow that reaches out during, if you are alone, broke, and discouraged ,the hardest holiday of the year.  

That is who Santa Claus is for many.  Who is he or she for you?