Mid December 2021
Wednesday 8th of December 2021
Dear Dr. X,
Thank you for replying with your comments and advice. I understand what you mean when you write: “You may not be the first one we think of during Christmas time, but you are not forgotten.” I know that I am still part of the lore. What frustrates me is that I am barely part of it. Myself, the reindeers and the elves should all be celebrated at the same level as Kris. Kris is the symbol of Christmas, to that, you cannot contest any debate. My point is, he shouldn't be the only one. It is a massive operation to organise Christmas! You should be aware that Kris can never be the only one working for it. If anything, he is the one who has the least tasks.
I did appreciate your quote: “Behind every great man is a great woman”. In my case it is very true. It made me chuckle until I realised I would much rather read a saying like: “Beside every great man is a great woman”. Such a sentence emphasises that a woman needn’t be behind her husband to be great. In our enterprises, in today's society, we should all be seen equally. Don’t you think?
Centuries ago, I had been thrilled to hear that ‘Christmas Carols’ were becoming popular. I naively thought that I was finally being recognized as an important agent in the making of Christmas. But then, I realised what a ‘Christmas Carol’ is, and my joy quickly dissipated. Even something that bears my name is not about me… How frustrating!
I am frustrated, yes, but I do not bear you, the People, ill-will. I just want this oversight to be corrected. Set the records straight if you will. Maybe you can start spreading the word? Or offer me some advice on how to achieve that? I don’t know where to start, you see…
I promised to explain how we use magic here, and you even asked me, in your reply: “But why, my dear Carol, if you have access to magic, as you mentioned it for the sack of presents, do you not use it to alleviate your workload. Can you not make presents, wrap them and all the things in between at the turn of a wand?”
I am sorry to say, Dr. X, that you are very ignorant on the matter. First of all, we are not magicians! We do not have wands to wave around! It is much more complicated than that… Let me explain here:
Kids are generally easy to please, as long as they believe. But, as humans, the more you mature, the less inclined you are to be touched by the magic of Christmas. We have a secret. We aim to give to everyone, even the non-believers who deem themselves too grown-up to believe in ‘fantasies’.
You see, the truest gifts of Christmas are actually the magic that you create yourself. The one you feel when you see your loved ones, when you do something selfless, when you create something beautiful. That sensation deep within yourself when you cuddle with your child or with your pet, when you genuinely smile from the heart and your eyes, when you lose yourself in a daydream or in a book, when you treat yourself with care and appreciation. It is that sense of peace and contentment when you stop to look at the sky or smell at the flowers, when you give your change to a beggar, when you cut your neighbours’ lawn when they cannot. It is your heart beating with that strange rhythm when you let yourself go on a swing, when you walk barefoot on the sand or in the grass, when you cook your favourite meal for yourself, or for your loved ones.
All of those things, that is magic. And all this magic that you feel travels instantly to us and we harvest it all year long. We use it for many things. We need it to power our factories, to give flight and speed to our reindeers, to slow down time on Christmas night, to make the sack so endlessly deep, without taking much space on the sleigh and staying reasonably light for Kris to carry. I also use it to make the elves and myself quite fast in the making and wrapping of the gifts.
But you should know that there is unfortunately only a finite amount of that magic. Even with all your good feelings. So we cannot use it on everything and have to prioritise. Like for making your presents, for example. I made the decision to only use magic to give us speed, but I refuse to use it to simply create the gifts out of nothing. I am a firm believer that using magic for the making of the gifts renders them magicless. They become just objects, insignificant and meaningless. They have to come from the heart. Mine, Kris’, the elves’, the reindeers’. We all work tirelessly to make Christmas magic. I have to admit, as much as I am frustrated with Kris, I can only imagine how herculean of a task it is to travel the entire world in a single night. And he always does it with such energy and enthusiasm!
Did you know, that we are, officially, a 'non-profit organisation'? Our business is to give without payment or exchange of goods. Simply to give. But all of that has been bastardised... That is a great sorrow for all of us, you know? Christmas was never supposed to be a commercial holiday! At least, not when we started... Now we are in competition with what I've heard being called the 'Hallmark Holiday' Christmas. It has become a shopping holiday, where retailers and corporations perform big marketing stunts, aimed at the consumers' festive mood, taking advantage of their worried and hurried list checking. "GRAB THIS NOW WHILE STOCKS LAST" and "DON'T MISS OUT, OR POOR LITTLE TIMMY WILL NOT RECEIVE HIS PRECIOUS TOY" are seen on every display window. When they write "MERRY CHRISTMAS", they really mean, "COME SPEND MONEY IN OUR STORES". When they write "HERE'S A GIFT FOR YOU", they mean a gift you need to spend money on. Nothing is given for the joy of giving. The spirit of Christmas is dying...
Even the gifts that are placed under the Christmas tree, or on the dinner plate, or in the Christmas stockings. The ones that you give away... Most of them are given without much thought behind them, without much intent. It is the price tag that stay in the giver's mind, not the joy that is being brought with the present. You see, something personal, chosen or homemade by the giver, with deliberate attention to the person who will receive it, that is the purest of gifts.
And I hate to admit it, but, by trying to stay relevant in this world of endless consumerism, we have had to adapt. We surrendered to the times. I surrendered. seeing that I am the decision maker... I am now myself an online shopper, and I feed the titans that are our competitors. I don't believe I have much choice. We have a duty to all the children who still write to us.
And the letters themselves... They betray the true meaning of the modern Christmas. It is not a commemoration of traditions. It is not a signification of peace, joy and selfless gestures... But even though each year, we receive more and more of the magazines cut-out lists, without any "please" or "thank you", we still do receive Christmas letters that warms my heart. They represent about 35% of the entirety of our incoming letters. Not much, but enough, in my opinion, to keep us motivated. The believers keep us in their heart, and as such, in business.
Here is such a letter:
Dear Santa,
I am 4 and a halv. I sow a litle dol in the store the other day. She haz blu eyes and blak hayr. She wers a wite and blu dress. I do not no how much she kosts, but I hav a litle of pokett monee that I savd so if you want I can send it too you.
I love you. Josie.
And another:
Santa, you are the best! Last year, you forgot the bik I wanted. It is okay. It is not yur folt, but I want it alsow this year. I think maybe our chimnee is to smoll so Mum sayd you can com thru the back yard. But be carfull becauz our dog Simba will think u are a thif. Giv him a pat and a pece of the cookys we left u nere the back yard dore.
Xx. Max.
These two following letters break my heart, as we cannot do much to grant their wishes, but it shows how selfless kids can be. How truly good they are, at their core.
Dear Santa,
This year I hav bin a very good boy. Mama sayd to rite to you, but I think I don't want nothing. But insted, maybe you can give something to the peepol I see in the streets sometime? Mama says they don't have a home. That makes me sad becos they must be scaird and cold. You can maybe give them a house or even a tent if you dont hav time to bild it.
Buy,
Artie.
And:
Helo Santa,
Can I pleas have my mum bac this crissmast? She is a soldiar at the warr and she dosn't no if she can be heer with us.
Thanx. Maria
And just one last one, to bring cheers back in our hearts, one that made me laugh to tears with the elves:
Dear Santa,
I want four chirstmas a babee sister, but not write now, like in a few weeks. Write now, I am not hold enoff to tak gud care of her.
Much luv, Sarah
PS: Remember, not now, later when I am at leest 7. I am almost 5 so nott to long I think.
I will finish my letter now, and go straight to bed.
Yours truly,
Carol Klaus
Original story & Copyright by Julia Mesrobian
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