A lot of people want to know “Is Santa Claus real, or made up?” Find out if the man known as “The Spirit of Christmas” is just a fairy tale or if he’s real and if he’s real, just who is he?
It’s that time of year when kids are staring in wonderment at holiday trees that are glittering with lights and heirloom ornaments. The legend goes that on Christmas Eve, Santa brings gifts to all the good children in all the world, and some people hope he brings miracles on Christmas morning. They don’t just want to know what gifts they will get for Christmas. Here’s what they really want to know- “Is Santa actually real or made up?” Join Mysticsense to find out who Santa Claus is and the real historic basis for belief in him. Find out about his legends and find out if Santa is real and if he is, just how and why. If you have been searching for answers about Santa, you will find them here today, so read on!
Who is Santa Claus?
Santa Claus also known as Kris Kringle and St. Nick is believed to be an immortal being who rewards good children at Christmas. He is said to deliver gifts all night on Christmas Eve and he does this with the help of elves and reindeer. He doesn’t just work on Christmas Eve, though. He and his elves work for a long time at their workshop at The North Pole making and preparing the gifts. His reindeer are magical, and they fly through the sky with Santa in a great sleigh, filled with the gifts. Bad children are said to get lumps of coal in their stockings instead of gifts!
Santa isn’t single, though! He has a wife named Mrs. Claus who helps him. She bakes, cares for the reindeer, and helps both Santa and the elves to make the gifts. In an 1800’s novel The Metropolites, it was written that Mrs. Claus appeared in a woman’s dream and brought her fine clothes, so she doesn’t just bake, but she gives gifts too. Santa is an older man who is heavy set and has a thick white beard. He wears glasses and a red suit with white fur trim and black boots with shiny buckles on them. He is characterized by his warm happy smile, and his hearty laugh. He became popularly represented in art in the 1800s in Europe and America, but he comes from much older stories of a Catholic Saint, Father Christmas, and the Norse God Odin.
St. Nicholas
4th century Greek Catholic Bishop of Myra, Nicholas was called Nicholas the wonderworker, and he became the patron saint of merchants, sailors, thieves who had repented, toymakers, children, unmarried people, and many other things. He is believed to have been born in 270 CE in the city of Patara Anatolia, in modern day Turkey. Because the earliest accounts of him were written hundreds of years after his death, we don't know very little about his early life and most of what we know about him is from legendary stories. He was known for his generosity, love, and kindness. An early story about him said that he rescued 3 girls from a life of probable prostitution by throwing money through their windows at night so that her their father could pay for a dowry for them to afford to marry. Other stories say that he calmed a storm at sea, saved soldiers from execution, and cut down a demon possessed tree.
He was born to wealthy parents, who died during an epidemic and a legend says he gave away their wealth to the poor. Perhaps one of his greatest stories of generosity came during a famine. A ship anchored at a port and it was filled with wheat destined for the emperor. Nicholas convinced the sailors to leave some wheat for the town and not only did they agree to do so, but it was enough wheat for the town to use for two years’ worth of planting. Miraculously, although the sailors gave the town some wheat, the wheat aboard the ship weighed the same before the donation as after! It is believed that even Saint Nicholas’s burial relics produce miraculous substances that are collected every year. So even in his death Saint Nicholas gives. Many are grateful for what they believe to be miracles from this beloved saint and you can read about being grateful here: Learning to Have a Grateful Heart
Christmas
English Christian traditions of the Middle Ages included a figure who was considered to be the spirit of Christmas known as Father Christmas. He was portrayed as a jolly man wearing a green suit, and like Santa Claus he was filled with good cheer. Instead of being concerned with bringing gifts to children and rewarding good behavior, this Father Christmas made sure there was merrymaking and feasting for the adults. Although we have few details of exactly what pre–Christian British winter holiday traditions were like, it is believed that Father Christmas was some form of a continuation of what the Christian pagans had.
Medieval celebrations included elaborate banquet tables and pageantry as well as song and dance. During the 1600s, Puritans tried to shut down Christmas traditions and they forbade Christmas from 1649 1660 in England. Old Father Christmas was considered a relic of the past, yet somehow by 1660, traditional Christmas celebrations started to be revived. In the 1700s generosity became more honored and then during the Victorian era, Father Christmas brought good cheer. Like Santa Claus, he was bearded, generous, and jolly. Winter Solstice was around the time Father Christmas would make an appearance and you can read about the Solstice here: All About the Winter Solstice
Christian traditions aside, the original Santa Claus really was the Norse God Odin. At the time of the Solstice, pre Christian pagan Germanics observed something called Yule which is presided over by Odin. Older, bearded, and a father figure, Odin does not have eight tiny reindeer, but an eight-legged steed. He does not deliver gifts in the night by sleigh and reindeer, but he rides through the sky in something called the Wild Hunt during the Yule season. It is believed that the spirits of the dead ride through the sky to hunt game or to capture either people who were guilty or demons. Sighting the Wild Hunt could also mean that the weather was changing or it could portend war. It was best to lie low on the ground or stay in the center of the road to keep from being carried away by the Wild Hunt. You can also carry some bread to throw to Odin’s hounds to escape being rounded up when it is time for the Wild Hunt.
Odin is actually known as Father Yule, or Jol. When Odin was the main god, children left hay in their shoes or boots for Odin's eight-legged steed, Sleipnir and Odin was believed to stop in to bring treats to children at Yule time. It is believed that the practice of hanging stockings for small gifts comes from this. Odin came through the chimney, or the fire hole at the home. House spirits were given milk and porridge at Yule. Leaving milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve night comes from these traditions. The reindeer is some people’s spirit animal. If you want to find out what your spirit animal is, read here: What Spirit Animal Am I? | Spirit Animal Quiz
Is Santa Real?
Some people say that it's not possible for Santa to be real. We have demonstrated that we can fly in helicopters and airplanes, but reindeer cannot fly through the sky, pulling a sleigh. It has also been proven that there is no workshop for Santa at the North Pole. No one has ever seen a real elf, although many people say they feel their presence spiritually. Saint Nicholas died hundreds of years ago, and some people don't believe that Odin is a real god, but just stories. Multiple people have caught their parents putting gifts underneath the tree on Christmas night. It would also be very difficult for such a heavy set individual to come down a long narrow chimney! These days a lot of houses don't even have chimneys, so some people believe that it's not possible for someone to get gifts down a chimney that's not even there.
Some people believe that Santa is just a story that parents tell children to entertain themselves. Few would deny that there is no better feeling than seeing the joy and the eyes of your loved ones when they believe in the magic and wonderment of getting the perfect gift. Many parents are sad when their children no longer believe in Santa, because it means that the kids are not little anymore and they're growing up. A lot of people say they only make a big deal out of Christmas for the children, and that Christmas just isn't the same when the kids grow up and move out.
It is true that there is no being that slides down the chimney with gifts for everybody all over the world. It is true that eight tiny reindeer don't draw a sleigh through the sky and spiritual beings don’t create holiday gifts. Gifts come from stores and the people who give gifts pay their own money to buy them. Parents and grandparents cook Christmas dinner and families bring themselves to holiday celebrations. No Father Christmas or Santa Claus does any of these things. So in this way, no Santa is not real, but these things are the exact reason why Santa is real. We have to become Santa, and we can do it every year we celebrate!
How To Be Santa
Santa Claus is brought alive by countless people around the world every year. From friends to relatives and kind strangers, Santa, or the spirit of Christmas, is responsible for gift giving, joy, and love. You don't have to dress in a costume to be Santa. You just have to do what Santa does. You can do this by visiting people, giving of yourself, bringing them gifts, or just being kind.
Do Visits
Lonesomeness can sometimes be felt especially strongly around the holidays. Some widows, empty nesters, people who are away from family, or people who are just single are reminded during the holidays how alone they are when they have no one to spend time with. To bring alive the spirit of Santa, visit people who have no one to visit them, or invite them to Christmas dinner. Volunteer at a hospital, animal shelter, or even a nursing home to spend time with people or animals who are lonesome. While it is unwise to give a pet as a gift during the holidays, especially to people who may not take proper care of them, it is a very good time to foster or adopt an animal for yourself. Bring alive the spirit of Santa Claus by alleviating loneliness. Read about the spiritual meaning of dogs here: Dog Spiritual Meaning, Symbolism, and Dreams
Charity drives throughout the holidays are not done by an immortal creature. They are done by human beings. Churches, not for profits, homeless shelters, animal shelters, and any charitable organization relies very heavily on the kindness of donors to make a difference. Not everybody has money to give, but they gratefully accept your time. You can volunteer to deliver food, sort donations, help with mailings to raise awareness, or even just spread the word for what's needed. Giving of yourself doesn't necessarily mean spending money, just give what you can, and you will become Santa Claus for somebody else.
Gifts
Some people spend a lot of time and money searching for the perfect gifts for their loved ones. The last two weeks before Christmas are especially busy shopping times. This can become very stressful, and some people run out of time and can't find that perfect gift. Do yourself a favor and get started early. You can start months in advance, or even give people cash or gift cards instead of gifts. Sometimes, the best gift you can give is the gift of your presence, so visits with you become a gift. The purpose of giving gifts for the holidays isn't necessarily buying the perfect life changing gift but expressing love. Read about the greatest gift, unconditional love here: Unconditional Love Meaning
Kind
Kindness matters, and sometimes people forget that during times of stress. The weeks leading up to Christmas can be especially stressful for people who work in stores or in restaurants. They're also very stressful for people who are traveling. Not everybody can take time from their schedule to visit lonely people, give extra time or charity, or buy gifts. Everybody can be kind though. Be patient with people who work in stores or restaurants. Smile at them and ask them how their day is. Be extra kind to them if you see a customer being unkind to them. Hold the door for strangers. Let another driver in front of you during thick traffic. Tell people you hope they have a good day. Kindness doesn't cost anything, but it can mean everything to people, and it's one way that you can become the spirit of Christmas.
Santa Claus is just as real as we are, but he isn’t a fairy tale being who comes down the chimney to give good children gifts. He can’t do his work without our help. He needs us to be the spirit of giving for other people. So, if you want to meet Santa, you can, but you will need to become Santa. The spirit of generosity and cheer transcend religion, has been around in many cultures, and can only be kept alive by us. So, be the spirit of gift giving and miracles for Christmas and all year round!
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