Every Christmas Eve, children across the world await the arrival of one of the most loved figures in history, Santa Claus. For years he has been the defining symbol of Christmas, the man who puts the presents under your trees, fills your stockings, and eats your cookies. Yet, everytime Christmas rolls around, one question in particular is asked in Christmas-celebrating households across the globe: is Santa real? Although many people will tell you that the famed man who climbs down your chimney each Christmas does not in fact exist, there has been much evidence to prove those Grinches and Scrooges otherwise.
The most obvious reason why Santa is real is that if not Santa, who carries on the many traditions of Christmas? Who delivers presents to families around the world? Who eats the cookies and milk left out by millions? The answer to these questions is that no one else but Santa can.
It has also been proven by the United States Postal Service that all letters addressed to Santa Claus go to the same place, and many of those letters are even replied to by elves. In a program called “USPS Operation Santa”, you can write a letter to Santa, and have the possibility of even receiving a reply! Just address the letter to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 8888. If the post office knows Santa is real, and if he even has his own address, how could he not be real?
Another reason why Santa is real is that there is a website online that actually tracks Santa called NORAD. On Christmas Eve, the website will tell you exactly where Santa is on his journey of delivering presents, and at what time he will reach you, plus any location he’s at that night in real time.
The most popular argument made by those who do not believe in Santa is that parents are the ones who put presents under the Christmas tree each Christmas Eve. While this argument may seem sound at first, it has many faults. First of all, how would parents have the time, energy, and even money to buy, wrap, and set up all of those presents? And how would they know exactly what you wished for? The answer is that they wouldn’t. Besides, they probably couldn’t handle eating all of those cookies left out for Santa either.
Some might ask how Santa would be physically able to deliver presents to over 396 million houses each Christmas, or eat so many cookies. The answer to that question is that unlike your parents, Santa is magical. Of course any regular person would not be able to accomplish that feat with a sleigh and nine flying reindeer alone. That is why Santa does it, because he is no regular person.
Additionally, in a survey taken by over 80 San Marcos students, 70.1% said that they believe in Santa.
“My parents don’t love me enough to buy me gifts so Santa is the only explanation,” said one San Marcos senior.
Many San Marcos teachers believe in Santa too.
“YES SANTA IS REAL!” said a San Marcos teacher. “The cookies and low fat milk I leave out are gone the next morning, and there are always goodies in my stocking. It isn’t me. Who else could it be?”
“Anyone who doesn’t believe in Santa is a nincompoop,” said another San Marcos teacher Mr. Oftedal.
Those who choose not to believe in Santa also argue that he does not exist because they have not seen him. While some people may have not personally seen him, there have been plenty of sightings throughout the years.
“I’ve seen Santa with my own eyes,” says an anonymous San Marcos sophomore. “During the Christmas season you can see Santa and his sleigh full of gifts and reindeer lit-up, landing on the Richfield Pier, going to spend the night at the Cliff House Inn as you’re driving northbound on the 101 coming up on Mussel Shoals.”
Even if you have not seen Santa before, and do not believe the reported Santa sightings, who says that you have to see something to believe in it? We cannot see atoms, yet scientists are convinced that they exist.
Regardless of whether or not you believe in the “rotund caucasian man known as Santa”, as ASB President Gabe Casey put it, there is no denying that his spirit does exist.
As it was put back in 1897, in the famed editorial Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus, “How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.”
Feature Editor
