Santa

Its six am Christmas morning, I can’t sleep. I have been tired for weeks.  I went to sleep at 12.30am last night/this morning. I can’t think of any reason as to why I can’t sleep.. and then I do. It’s Christmas morning and I am excited. 

Yes! You read right, It is Christmas morning and excitement fills me… not the same excitement that once filled me as child… ‘what will Santa bring me this year !!!’ , which became the ‘did mum and dad get me the ‘… ‘ I really wanted and had been hinting at these past few months?' This is a different kind of excitement.  This year I am excited about giving. 

Every year we give cards to others  because it is socially expected -‘I better not forget a card for Sven at work, even though I don’t talk to him’ etc. We buy gifts because again, it is expected. That is not to say that we may not take pleasure in the buying and giving, but realistically… how many of the gifts we buy are like this?, compared to those that feel like a chore to decide upon and find/purchase? 

These past few months I have been a bit flat due to a few things in my life, but this morning… this morning something changed. This morning I awoke with a realisation. Santa does exist. I am Santa, we are all Santa. For the first time in a long while I smiled before I got out of bed.  

It sounds clichéd, but the joy of giving is wonderful.

In a few hours time I will give someone a gift that they have neither asked for nor hinted at. In fact, this person would never dream of asking anyone to purchase this item for them, they would just do without, or manage on hand me downs. It is something they need. They have been working hard at learning to use this item and their hard work and perseverance have brought them far. If anyone deserves to own this item, it is this person. I know they will cry with gratitude when they receive it and the thought of this makes me teary even now. This is what being Santa is really about. Not piling gifts onto the ungrateful or greedy, but giving to those in need and to those who deserve it. The joy is in seeing their surprise and gratitude. In knowing we have done something that has made a difference to them.  That has made them feel loved, appreciated and part of something bigger. 

Enjoy your christmas day, may much joy be shared and may good will and love fill our hearts.