The Power of Santa

Over the years I’ve heard many people bemoan the way in which children ask for so many material things.

It’s true – sometimes to our more mature minds, the gifts that pile up under the tree appear to be overwhelming. Some of us are simply happy to spend our Christmas morning opening up the cards that have arrived. After all, isn’t Christmas about the thought, the love, and being present in one another’s hearts?

But it is also true that there is nothing so joyous as to hear a child squeal with delight as they open up the gift of their dreams – the one that they whispered in Santa’s ear after spending countless stressful minutes in a lineup to sit on his gigantic lap and muster up the courage to say: yes, this is what I truly want.

For children who are blessed with growing up in a family that nurtures belief in Santa, what they are receiving above all is their first lesson in metaphysics.

The belief in Santa instills in these small children the concept that their tiny young consciousness has the power to change their experience. I don’t know a metaphysician around that didn’t start out manifesting the material (that great car, perhaps a new apartment or house), and then moved on to the more complex tasks like the perfect job, peaceful relationships, and love of self and others.

And who hasn’t had the experience of going to a practitioner with a problem and being encouraged to “borrow” the practitioner’s belief until such time as the belief is fully incorporated into our own consciousness.

This is precisely what parents are doing. They are acting as “practitioners” for their children – allowing their children to borrow their belief, and they in turn ensure that the belief (however possible) is manifested.

It doesn’t matter how it comes about. For generations and generations parents always find a way to make their children’s wishes come true to the best of their ability, as was so evident with Bob Cratchitt and his Dickens family. They didn’t wait for Scrooge to have his epiphany. They relied on their own resources to create the love and the beauty of Christmas despite all appearances.

And yes, in today’s world some parents will turn to the food bank – and so Christmas arrives that way. For others, it comes as unexpected support from loving family and friends. But Christmas always comes to those who have the courage to ask with a pureness of heart.

As I grow older, the material increasingly falls away. Christmas is richer now, all while there is less. And it makes room for me to reflect on the relationships in my life, and what I truly value. It makes me pause and savour the food that we share. It makes me consider my words, and increases my desire to sincerely express gratitude.

It occurs to me that the way Christmas changes as we age is the way of our beingness. There is no need for me to judge the ways of youth. And they can’t understand how new Christmas socks could mean so much to me. This is the way of our beingness. This is the natural evolution of our consciousness.

So snuggle up with those children. Watch for the magic in their eyes. Encourage them to connect with their belief, and take the time to thank Santa. As they mature, they’ll leave behind the power of their parent’s consciousness, and then use the power of belief to create for themselves.

The true meaning of Christmas rests in the simple things: belief, love, peace, and happiness. As with everything, it is so complex, and yet so simple.

Best wishes for the holiday season.