This is all my opinion and can be taken as you wish. I am not a huge fan of religion, though I am consider myself spiritual. Therefore while I know the story of Jesus, think it can be a pretty story, and I have a manger as part of my decorations, that is not what Christmas means to me. With that being said, Christmas is my favorite time of year!
There is something about the sights, sounds, smells, and just the overall atmosphere around the season. I love it all and don't get sick of it. I even get a little sad when I see the countdown calendars to Christmas because I know it will be over soon. While the actual day is great I enjoy the season as a whole more. We can all get lost in the shopping, the presents, the weather, the traffic, and the cranky attitudes that sometime come around with it, but its also all part of the season and still adds to the atmosphere.
Christmas has a sort of magic quality to it. When you were little you can remember it more so than you do now I bet. The idea of Santa Claus coming was always a mystery but also such an exciting thing. You went and saw him at your local mall, wrote to him, and did your best to be good all year long. All so that you would make his "Nice" list and get a present under the tree for him. As you grow older you tend to stop believing in Santa and the logical side of your brain kicks in and says there is no way it is real. Well I am here to tell you that he is as real as you and I. And how do I know? Because he IS you and I.
Through the years I have read many cute poems, stories, and seen many movies about the man in the red suit. At times it has made me sad that I don't get that excited feeling Christmas Eve that he is coming and that I lost the belief in him being real. When in reality he is the spirit of Christmas represented in all of us. Christmas means love, kindness, gratitude, giving over receiving, family & friends, magic, togetherness, and peace. All of those things are what Santa Claus is and represents. Santa, through all of us and all the parents around the world, helps to bring presents and watch the behavior of all of us throughout the year. Santa is the feeling of happiness, joy, and comfort that we all feel in the air around Christmas. It is the end of a year and it is time to look back at what has come and gone and spend that time with those in your life who mean a lot to you. Why do you think when we watch movies like "Polar Express", "Miracle on 34th Street", "The Santa Clause", and even "Grinch" we all can't help but smile? Because even though we may not be little children waiting for a man in a red suit to come down the chimney, we still FEEL Christmas and what he represents.
So asking if you believe in Santa is not necessarily if you believe in the actual person so much as if you believe in the true spirit of Christmas. And in doing so you hold it in your heart throughout the whole year, not just for a month or so at the end of the year. If you still believe and can still feel the magic of Christmas then you should be grateful and spread it to those around you.
Do the bells still ring for you? Do you Still Believe?
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