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| Sunday, 18 December 2005 |
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by Rikaza Hassan Christmas is upon us once again. Carols and other
jingly songs fill the air. Shoppers throng the malls for that special
dress or suit for mass at church. Wrapping paper is selling by the hordes
to wrap those presents
Santa Claus is not for real; does not every 10-year old know that? Yet almost everyone of us, Christian or not has been told of the guy who inhabits the North Pole, makes presents with the help of his team of elves and on the night of Christmas flies around the world on his sleigh pulled by special reindeer (like Rudolph with his red nose) and drops down each and every chimney to place a gift for the sleeping children who have been good that year. Somehow little children seemed to miss the fact that their houses did not possess chimneys, that it is impossible for animals to fly (only Superman could do that, also Rogue, Magneto kinda could, Spiderman had his webs, Storm, ?) and that if it took over an hour to fly to India, how could Santa pass through the entire world in an hour, let alone drop by at each and every house? How did the kids feel when they did not receive presents at all because their parents simply didn?t celebrate the occasion (even though they did tell their children the story)? How did the children feel when they found out the truth, when they were suddenly left not only disappointed but baffled by the fact of their parents? tall stories? The Sunday Observer spoke to a few former kids who have since turned knowledgeable to the bare facts. Navin, a 16-year old O/L student said he was shocked. "My parents enlightened me when I was nine. I had never thought of the impossible situations that Santa Claus presented, or maybe I didn't want to 'coz it was such a nice story. I simply refused to believe it at first and then cried when it dawned on me. I was angry for sometime, not anymore though," he grins. "I think they told me because my demands for Santa were getting more expensive and hard to get. They can always simply refuse to get me what I want for Christmas without feeling bad about destroying that nice yarn in my head," he adds with a chuckle. "My mother never told me the truth, I had to find out the hard way," says Chrishanthi, 18. "When I was in year 6 all my friends knew Santa Claus did not exist, but I refused to listen to their arguments since my mother simply kept mum about the truth. They would taunt me for being silly, call me 'baby'. Finally I realised that I was the idiot, went home and had a huge argument with my mother. She said it wasn't her place to tell me, that it would have simply broken my heart. I am not going to lie to my kids about Santa Claus; they don't need to go through what I did. Besides kids are meaner these days," she says with a cheerless face. The story of Saint Nicholas and his presents isn't restricted to Christian households, it's spread all over the place. "My parents told me about Santa but never got me a present. They said that since I was a Muslim and didn't celebrate Christmas I simply wouldn't be getting one. I used to write letters and give them to my Catholic friends to post since their parents knew the address. I even contemplated turning Catholic for a day but that pissed off my parents," laughs Naushad, 21. And how did it feel when he learnt the truth "I was relieved, happy even. There was no guy doling out free gifts to anyone, so I wasn't left out." Of whatever faith, is it worthwhile telling your offspring the tall tale of the North Pole resident? "I know it's been told for ages, but that is no reason to continue. I don't understand how parents could tell their children a lie while demanding total honesty from the kids themselves. It is a silly tradition and not at all worth it," says Nilukshi, 19. "I'm a Buddhist and hence received no presents. I used to wonder if it was because we didn't have a chimney. I used to trouble my mother to build a chimney in the hope of enticing the guy home," chuckles Danushka, her boyfriend. "I agree with Nilukshi though, children should be told the truth about Santa, just like the story of how kids are conceived," he adds with a serious note. Not everyone agrees though. Manik, 17, believes that though the story of St. Nick is essentially a lie, her children will not be forfeited of it. "It's a wonderful story that could be used to make kids better, more disciplined. I will most definitely tell my kids about Santa though I will also tell them truth at the right time." What if they find out sooner I ask. "I shall deal with it then I guess. I know it will be hard, but yet". The season of Christmas is upon us. Little children out there are expecting Santa Claus to pay them a visit in a week. On Christmas Day they may find themselves ecstatic upon receiving what they wanted, happy upon receiving something, or sad about receiving absolutely nothing. Like it or not, Santa Claus is here to stay, at least for now? |
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for family and friends, liked and not so liked.
Christmas trees are once again available for sale in stores and on
pavements, both the real thing and the kind that comes in plastic. Most
prominently men in red suits, white make up and padded bellies are seen
about carrying not so heavy sacks while they present children with
toffees, or not. 
