A Hokey Ho-Ho-Ho
DISCLAIMER: This post will be disturbing and unsettling to some readers. Read at your own risk.
Santa Claus is sacred to many people. A few years ago Billy Bob Thornton starred in a movie around Christmas time depicting Santa in a less than appealing role. Society went nuts. How dare portray the guy with a gut in a red suit who does nothing but good for children and people everywhere depicted in a movie in such a negative fashion howled letters to newspaper editors across the country. In a world of incredibly significant crises (poverty, starvation, war, disease -- you know, the usual stuff) it was not difficult to see where societal priorities stacked up. In short, don't mess with Santa Claus.
No, Virginia, there is no Santa Claus, except when we define him as something other than a real person. Yes, there are roots in history of Santa type benevolent people, but c'mon: elves, flying reindeer, coming down the chimney, visiting everyone's home every year on one night? And then on top of that, we get a plethora of red suit guys (and gals) arriving as early as Thanksgiving who aren't really Santa Claus, who are identified as his helpers, and the next thing we have are some very confused children.
On the topic of confusion, a tramautic day in the life of many children is when she/he discovers there is no Santa. Up till then (as with the Easter bunny) life was to be learned from the teaching grown ups in their life. Now we have concepts espoused by trusted adults who must explain that although we have acted for years like there is a Santa, well, we're here to tell you there really isn't a Santa, but that's okay because you can still believe there is a Santa in your heart just realize it's all a dream. Of course, Madison Avenue needs for everyone to believe the dream (REALLY, REALLY BELIEVE THE DREAM), particularly when shopping, on account that our economy depends largely on shopping days before Christmas.
So, who's got a bee in his bonnet? Read on.
In our one newspaper town (>150,000), in today's Lifestyle section, front page, is a feature article complete with eight color pictures highlighting, get this, "Scary Santas." In each picture is a different Santa with a child who isn't "very jolly." With cold, matter of fact analysis, the author explains it's hard to blame the "crying, screaming or just trying to get the heck away from him" kids. Captions under some of the pictures included a 14 month old girl who "didn't enjoy sitting on Santa's lap" (Who put her there?!?!), a 16 month old girl who also "wasn't happy to be on Santa's lap" (same question), a four and 1/2 year old girl who "looks scared," a three year old boy "unsure about his visit with Santa" along with his 20 month old sister who "is sure how she feels -- she doesn't like it," a 23 month old girl who "isn't enjoying her visit to Santa," though her mom is "trying to cheer her up." Enough? Read on.
In a world where school officials and other youth counselors do an excellent job instructing all children to be leery of strangers, to never allow unknown people to touch them, and certainly to never sit on stranger's laps, why, in heaven's name, do we stand in long lines to allow just that? Is it offensive to ask who wants this photo op anyway? The infants? Meow.
If you're still reading, apologies are offered for the length of this post. Perhaps it should have been a two parter. Let me finish with this. With the newspaper's shameful, pathetic attempt of a "Christmas" story, (at the bottom of the page) a plea was made to readers to submit more "Scary Santa" photos to "show off," with a promise to "add as many as we can to the online photo gallery." My, my, my. For this a Child was born? Yes, yes, of course. Absolutely. Nevertheless, Emmanuel! Forgive us, for fudging on the true story of Your birth. For we know the words of the Christmas angels, "Do not be afraid." There is no reason to be scared when the true story is told.
Santa Claus is sacred to many people. A few years ago Billy Bob Thornton starred in a movie around Christmas time depicting Santa in a less than appealing role. Society went nuts. How dare portray the guy with a gut in a red suit who does nothing but good for children and people everywhere depicted in a movie in such a negative fashion howled letters to newspaper editors across the country. In a world of incredibly significant crises (poverty, starvation, war, disease -- you know, the usual stuff) it was not difficult to see where societal priorities stacked up. In short, don't mess with Santa Claus.
No, Virginia, there is no Santa Claus, except when we define him as something other than a real person. Yes, there are roots in history of Santa type benevolent people, but c'mon: elves, flying reindeer, coming down the chimney, visiting everyone's home every year on one night? And then on top of that, we get a plethora of red suit guys (and gals) arriving as early as Thanksgiving who aren't really Santa Claus, who are identified as his helpers, and the next thing we have are some very confused children.
On the topic of confusion, a tramautic day in the life of many children is when she/he discovers there is no Santa. Up till then (as with the Easter bunny) life was to be learned from the teaching grown ups in their life. Now we have concepts espoused by trusted adults who must explain that although we have acted for years like there is a Santa, well, we're here to tell you there really isn't a Santa, but that's okay because you can still believe there is a Santa in your heart just realize it's all a dream. Of course, Madison Avenue needs for everyone to believe the dream (REALLY, REALLY BELIEVE THE DREAM), particularly when shopping, on account that our economy depends largely on shopping days before Christmas.
So, who's got a bee in his bonnet? Read on.
In our one newspaper town (>150,000), in today's Lifestyle section, front page, is a feature article complete with eight color pictures highlighting, get this, "Scary Santas." In each picture is a different Santa with a child who isn't "very jolly." With cold, matter of fact analysis, the author explains it's hard to blame the "crying, screaming or just trying to get the heck away from him" kids. Captions under some of the pictures included a 14 month old girl who "didn't enjoy sitting on Santa's lap" (Who put her there?!?!), a 16 month old girl who also "wasn't happy to be on Santa's lap" (same question), a four and 1/2 year old girl who "looks scared," a three year old boy "unsure about his visit with Santa" along with his 20 month old sister who "is sure how she feels -- she doesn't like it," a 23 month old girl who "isn't enjoying her visit to Santa," though her mom is "trying to cheer her up." Enough? Read on.
In a world where school officials and other youth counselors do an excellent job instructing all children to be leery of strangers, to never allow unknown people to touch them, and certainly to never sit on stranger's laps, why, in heaven's name, do we stand in long lines to allow just that? Is it offensive to ask who wants this photo op anyway? The infants? Meow.
If you're still reading, apologies are offered for the length of this post. Perhaps it should have been a two parter. Let me finish with this. With the newspaper's shameful, pathetic attempt of a "Christmas" story, (at the bottom of the page) a plea was made to readers to submit more "Scary Santa" photos to "show off," with a promise to "add as many as we can to the online photo gallery." My, my, my. For this a Child was born? Yes, yes, of course. Absolutely. Nevertheless, Emmanuel! Forgive us, for fudging on the true story of Your birth. For we know the words of the Christmas angels, "Do not be afraid." There is no reason to be scared when the true story is told.
posted by Joe Marek | 8:48 AM
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