This time of year, you see them seemingly everywhere. Guys dressed in the familiar red costume with the long white beard are commonplace in shopping malls and street corners. It's little wonder that youngsters may be a bit confused about who the "real" Santa might be. I would venture to suggest that there are many "real Santas," but more on that later. I would also suggest there are many "fake Santas."
We are all familiar of the classic Dr. Seuss story about the Grinch who hated Christmas and devised a scheme to "steal" Christmas by dressing as jolly ole St. Nick. It was good enough to fool little Cindy-Lou Who. However, in her defense, Cindy-Lou was "no more than two." Recently, I saw a glaring example of another "fake" Santa. This imposter told a little four-year-old boy he would not bring him a Nerf gun, or any gun, for Christmas. The child's response was heart-breaking. The tears streaming down the boys cheeks did little to soften the heart of this fake Santa. The one thing this little boy requested, and this "bad Santa" told him "no," simply because this person had some kind of phobia about guns. Now, I can attest, from personal experience, that the "real" Santa has no difficulty at all bringing good little boys (and girls too) any manner of toy firearm. During my youth, he brought me probably enough weaponry to arm a good-sized infantry battalion. I can still remember the distinct smell of hundreds of spent caps that would fill the air along East Cypress Street, and later San Pedro Road, in Perry, Fla. I also remember my dad using those toy guns to teach me valuable lessons on gun safety, so that when I was finally old enough to be entrusted with "the real thing," I could handle it safely. Fortunately, this particular story about the four-year-old who wanted the Nerf gun does have a happy ending. A "real" Santa later made a special delivery of several Nerf guns to his house.
During this Christmas season, we all have an opportunity to be a "real Santa." Not all Santas have to wear a red suit. They can have almost any sort of appearance. Even you can be a real Santa this Christmas. It's as easy as handing a small box of crayons to a youngster in line at the store. It's as easy as telling a stranger "Merry Christmas." It's as easy as giving up that parking space close to the store entrance for another. It's as easy as dropping a new toy into the Toys for Tots collection box (Some real Santas even wear Marine Corps uniforms).
Let's face it, it's a pretty tall task for just one person to be the only Santa. Let's all chip in a little and be real Santas for someone else. I promise, it will make everyone's Christmas just that much brighter, here on the sunny side.