Mortaine’s Blog

I wanted to share my family’s Santa Claus story, because I think it’s a good way to raise a kid to believe in things that are real, like love and generosity.

Back when my grandfather was a kid, he believed in Santa Claus. In fact, he believed in Santa for a long time, all the way into fifth grade.

Do you know how weird it is for a kid to make it to fifth grade still believing in Santa Claus? Even in 1913?

Anyway, the story is a familiar one: one of the older kids told him that there was no Santa Claus, and he cried and embarassed himself and ran all the way home. And when he got home, he cried to his parents because this kid had told him there was no Santa Claus.

And that’s when his parents told him the truth– there is no Santa Claus.

Which meant, of course, that they had been lying to him. For years.

And my grandfather was a really smart guy– if they were lying about that, what else had they lied about?

Fast forward a few decades, past a couple of weddings, a couple of kids. This is what he taught my mother and her sister:
Santa Claus is everybody who loves you. There will always be a Santa Claus.

Think about it– except for the disturbing event of having a Christmas where Santa just doesn’t visit your house (nobody loves me?), this is a lot more comforting than suddenly learning your parents were lying the whole time.

So, if you have kids, share this story with them. There is a Santa Claus. We weren’t lying to you for all those years. Santa Claus is everybody who loves you. Santa Claus is Mommy and Daddy and your aunties and uncles, and you get to be Santa to your brothers and sisters. It’s everybody who loves you, everybody you love.

Merry Christmas.

Okay, this is only of interest to those who are excessively materialistic (like me)….

From Mom and Oren:

• Five for Fighting’s album America Town
• Kingdom Hearts
• South Park: The Chef Experience (DVD)
• South Park: Christmas shows (DVD)
• a 9″ disability bar to put in the bathroom– will give to Chris and Ann and wait for mom to find one at 16″ so it can actually go into the studs in the wall.

From John:

• Harold Bloom’s book of Shakespeare theory
• One Hundred Years of Recorded Poetry (starts with Whitman)
• A small tripod for my camera to go backpacking with

From : a scrapbook of my childhood pictures. I am so in love with this book, you guys have no idea– none of my local friends knew me when I was that strange little kid.
From my brother and his family: A set of picture frames for photos of our dog.
From John’s sister and her family: A pair of chenille pillows (oooooh), and a huge canister of pistachios– YUM!
From John’s mother: A Simpsons puzzle and the Worst Case Scenario Handbook Board Game. A real winner this year!
From : A gift certificate to Petroglyph (paint-your-own-ceramics).
From many of my friends: Good wishes, love, attention, cards, well wishes, and food.