Do you know anyone as punctual as that legendary bearded man? Every year, on the same day and around the same time, he descends from the sky to bring us thousands of toys. Indeed, this white-bearded gentleman is a myth, but isn’t he the most magical way to take us back to our childhood? Children and adults alike await him with the same anticipation, whether real or nostalgic. The reason parents are deeply attached to this belief is that they find their own happiness in their children’s happiness, a belief in a place and time that satisfies everything.
If children are happy, it’s because with Santa Claus, the world has not yet completely lost its magic. Beneath the regular and mundane daily life, there exists a magical dimension up there in a celestial North Pole. This mediator between the Earth and the heavens represents a simple and positive morality. This man in red knows everything since he watches over the children’s behavior; he is a benevolent and warm figure.
Indeed, we often think of the pitiful blackmail employed by parents at the end of the year, i.e., the “be good, or else…” which strongly resembles a carrot and stick policy. However, Santa Claus belongs to an ideal world where virtue is always rewarded.
Around the age of 6-8, upon learning the non-existence of this eagerly awaited being, the child discovers that they have been deceived by their parents. However, is it a coincidence that the discovery of the lie, the end of this belief, coincides with the child’s entry into the “age of reason”? Isn’t it rather about training the child in something that isn’t about lying but about secrecy? For parents, it involves secrecy in the preparations for Christmas. Not a lie, but a secret shared with children who no longer believe. The belief in Santa Claus could thus serve to train in a complicit, benevolent, and social secret, shared by many, a secret necessary for the formation of the self.
No longer believing in Santa Claus means entering the adult world, and the disillusionment is largely offset by the pride of having grown up.
But even as the years pass, leaving wrinkles and white hair on our faces, we should always keep our childlike spirit.
And with Santa Claus, our world retains some of its enchantment. We must let Santa Claus live!
I know it’s still early to think about Christmas but like last year when I left gift shopping for my loved ones till the last minute (and I think some of you found yourselves in the same situation); this year, I’m going to start thinking about what to give to those I love early on.
Audrey Bollaro
