The Real Meaning of Santa Claus

The real meaning of Santa Claus

I was 14 & I still believed in Santa Claus.

My parents still hadn’t told me the truth yet. About how they’d been lovingly acting as Santa all those years. They hadn’t told me, mostly for the sake of my younger sister. My parents didn’t want her to stop believing in the magic of Christmas as young as she was. I had my doubts, & they’d grown a little year after year. But I still believed.

Who was Santa Claus? What was the gift-giving associated with Santa really about? I wrote the following definition after reading an article in an old issue of Guideposts magazine. Then I emailed it to everyone in my family. They loved it.

Here it is, with a few minor edits.

“Who is Santa Claus? Now, to most people, Santa is a charming man with a plump belly, white beard, sleigh full of toys, and reindeer. A man who brings presents at Christmas. But Santa is much more then that. He is a figure that withstands all time and boundaries. He is a figure of hope to those who need it most.

So, why can’t ANYONE be a Santa? Not THE Santa, but A Santa. Who says there can’t be more then one Santa? Image if all of the gifts given in the whole world were only given by Santa? Santa’s mission is to make dreams come true. So, make some dreams come true.

Whether you believe in Santa or not, that feeling of giving will still reach you. So, give. Give what you can. Just think of the drummer boy. I mean, he only had his drum’s music as the only thing he could give to Jesus. But he still gave gifts at Christmas.

So, do the same, no matter what you have or don’t have. No matter how much money you have or how little. Give a song. A poem. A story. A “Merry Christmas.” Even a simple smile. Anything. Just give what you can to who you can. Make some dreams come true.

And who says that Santa is only for Christmas? Do this all year round, but especially at Christmas. Give the world your best. Give everyone your best. Be a Santa.”

It was 2008 & this was the year that I finally started realizing that the world was a bit more challenging then I’d previously thought. But it was still good. And despite the uncertainties, there still was magic that existed in a realm of equal uncertainty, but still could be felt.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Funky & Fascinating People

Everybody knows somebody who loves something specific & is hard to shop for. Here’s what to buy them!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products that I recommend. When you click on an affiliate link to a product on an external website, I will recieve compensation if you buy something. If I recommend something though, it is because I really do like it. Thank you for your support.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Funky & Fasctinating People with gifts in background

 

  • For the 80’s & 90’s Nostalgic: Pens with Multiple Colors of Ink or Scratch & Sniff Stickers. I remember these from my childhood in the 90’s, & they were awesome. My dad got me one. I loved it because I could choose from tons of colors of ink to write with without having to switch pens. Scratch & sniff stickers are another fun thing I remember from my childhood. I was in LOVE with these. They make life more fun. Both these things do, & we could all use a little more of that.

\

  • For the Food & Art Lover: Awesome Food-Themed Posters. If you love cooking or food (or love posters like this that show everything laid out & organized) these posters would be awesome. The spaghetti one is my favorite. I own one which is a little bit different & it is so cool. The one I have is sadly not available anymore, but this is pretty close & just as awesome. You can also get one with spices, fruits, or vegetables, all laid out & organized in a very satisfying way.

    • For Sea Animal Fans: Ocean Animals Rubber Stamp Set, Sea Turtle Novelty Socks, or Plastic Sea Animal Assortment. These are all so cute. With the rubber stamps, the octopus, the whale, & the shark are especially cute (but the octopus is the best). Novelty socks are ALWAYS a good idea, & always fun. So are plastic sea animals. You can just put them all over your house & feel closer to the ocean when you look at them.
  • For the Retro-Techie/Music Lover: Record Player or Stylophone Synth. Records are getting popular again, & for a good reason. They can have a warmer & more charming sound than digitized music. If you want to explore the beauty of vinyl without breaking your budget, this record player might be the perfect thing. This retro synth looks retro & really cool, so if your retro techie likes making music, they’d probably find this stylophone awesome.

  • For the Smartphone Photographer: Smartphone Camera Clip On Lens Set or Disposable Cameras. These clip-on lenses are supposed to be really cool. This set comes with a fish eye, wide angle, & macro lens that clips right on to your phone. If you really love taking photos with your phone, these might be great to have. ALTERNATIVE: Buy them a real camera with real film (like these inexpensive disposable ones), & let them experiment with that to get a different perspective on photography. Disposable cameras are still fun. I just bought myself some of these.

  • For the Kawaii-Food Fan: Cute Salt & Pepper Shakers or a Plush Smiling Bread. Like these adorable smiley mushroom ones! I have several sets of adorable owl salt & pepper shakers, which I don’t use for salt & pepper, but as sculptures for the shelf in my room. Alternatively, a cute plush kawaii bread!

  • For the Book Lover in Your Life: BOOKS. Book lovers always need more. Poetry lovers should try Bob Dylan’s amazing beat-poetry Tarantula, imaginative & playful free-thinkers will enjoy Keri Smith’s How to Be an Explorer of the World, & people who want to make 2017 their best year yet will want to check out my newest book, 101 Ways to Love Yourself: How to Feel Better, Be Happier, & Start Living a Super-Awesome Life Now, or Jen Sincero’s excellent You are a Badass.

  • For the health-food enthusiast: Vegetable Spiralizer or Water Kefir Granules. These are supposed to be really great for making veggie pasta out of things like zucchini. It sounds like a great idea if you want a easy way to add more vegetables to your diet, or if you’re interested in eating more veggies & less grains. Alternatively, if your health-food lover loves kefir, here are some water kefir grains. Water kefir is supposed to have a slight carbonation like soda. The best benefit of it is the probiotics in it!

  • For the sloth lover in your life: A Little Book of Sloth or a Plush Sloth. This is one of the best, most adorable animal books ever to be made. IT IS FILLED WITH BABY SLOTHS. Baby rescue sloths at the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rico. Baby sloths hugging each other. Or, this adorable fluffy sloth plush. I have this plush sloth & it’s so huggable. I also have the very adorable, very soft tiny Hug a Sloth Kit sloth. All these are awesome.

  • For the music/tea enthusiast: Guitar Shaped Tea Infuser &/or Music Note Mug. This guitar-shaped tea infuser looks so darn cool. You can make rockin’ tea like this orchid vanilla one with this rockin’ infuser. Preferably while listening to some rockin’ music. Then you can drink it out of this fun music note mug.

  • For your favorite writer: An Awesome Novelty Notebook. These notebooks have real personality, & awesome themes like Pantone, funky flamingos, or llamas wearing scarves don’t even scratch the surface of the awesome journals out there.

  • For Lovers of Cute Cats: Pusheen the Cat Plush. Pusheen is one of my favorite things on the internet. These are just a few of the cute Pusheen plush you can buy. Pusheen with a cupcake, Sherlock Holmes Pusheen, Pusheen with a cookie.

  • For People Who Love Funky Food Things: Plush Doughnut or Dinosaur-Shaped Cookie Cutters. Doughnut-themed things are always awesome. It would look so cool to have a bunch of these doughnut cushions casually sitting on your sofa or your bed. Also, making dinosaur-shaped cookies would be so awesome. Dinosaurs are one of the most funky & wonderful things. Combine that with cookies, & you’ve got a winner.

  • For People Who Love All Things Magical: Moon Lamp, Salt Lamp Candle Holder, or Amethyst Chunks. Having a cool, glowing moon in your room every night would be the best thing ever. It looks very cool & realistic. Salt lamps are also awesome. I own one a lot like the one in the picture. It’s really beautiful, especially with the light of a flickering candle inside. Amethyst chunks are also awesome. While I don’t own the ones pictured, I do own lots of other amethyst, which is one of my favorite gemstones.


  • For the Owl Lover in Your Life: Owls, Owls, & More Owls. Owls are my favorite thing in the world. My whole house is decorated with various owl-themed items. Owl pillows (or pillow cover like the one featured) are always fun I own the owl pillow cover featured. It’s made out of a linen-type material & fits over a normal sized throw pillow. The owl plush in the middle is the fluffiest thing ever & is so adorable. I own one & I love it. Last,