Santa Is Real! This Year Too..

 

"Mummaaaa! My friend said that Santa has met with an accident and he cannot work on Christmas this year!"

I was caught off guard. The news came out of nowhere when I was doing some mundane chore and she suddenly recalled that she had forgotten to share this MoD (minutes of the day!) with me.

"Can't be," I argued to hold the fort of my 'Santa is real' story.

"Santa is a magical being. No one can ever hurt him," I added further.

"You mean he is not real?" the analyst in her inferred.

"I did not say that. I said he is magical. Magic can be real," 

I did not sound very convincing to myself, forget selling the story to her.

"Hmmm. My other friend says he is fake," she was now in a mode to complete her investigation.

I did not know how to maintain my argument. So I resorted to a diplomatic reply, something that parents do on a slippery slope like this one.

"Well, Christmas is approaching anyway. You will find out soon," I was back in the game, or so I thought.

"But what about the gifts J and I found under our pillows last Christmas, and the year before that?"

This discussion was not going to end as quickly as I thought.

 

"Let's see what happens this year," I tried buying a few more days for myself.

"Ummm, okay," she replied in an 'I am so cool about it' tone.

I confess that I lie sometimes, as a parent. This was one of those times. Not because I use it as a carrot for good behaviour but because it is fun to spend some part of your life believing in magic. 

Having studied in a convent school for twelve years straight, Christmas brings many good vibes and memories of my childhood to refresh a routine. That said, I am not from a Christian background on a family front. But it did not stop my parents from letting me live in a fantasy world on some occasions. Although it was never fancy, the excitement of waking up to a wrapped gift under the pillow (even when it was not your birthday!) was unbeatable.

Needless to say, I soon realized that Santa is not real. Nevertheless, it did not disappoint me at all. In fact, it made me feel amused and excited about those three or four years that the 'Santa', who brought me gifts, did not live in a distant, snowy place. Rather I had two of them who lived in the same house as I did.

Life is fun. But life is also harsh. Once we are adults and get conditioned by all forms of 'to be', 'must be' and 'have to be', finding joy in the little surprises that spring up here and there is not always easy. 

As I write down this one, my girls have outgrown the 'believe in Santa' phase. However, hubby and I continue playing Santa this year, too. (Though back then in that phase, they had solid doubts about the logistics challenges of one person visiting every kid's house in the world, in a single night!). 

When they found out, I was be happy that have started believing her findings. But I am still happy to play that fantasy for another year. That leaves some room for me to create magic in their life. And hence, Santa is real. This year too!