I know the myth of Santa Claus isn’t one that is much appreciated in our part of the world and with the state of things in our economy today, this advice might not be welcome. So I’ll start off by saying that this advice isn’t for everyone but it is for you.
Let’s think of it for a second though – If everyone becomes a secret Santa tomorrow, no one will be left out. Everyone will be touched and the experience will be like none other. But I digress and I dream too much because that can only happen in my idealistic dreams. Still, the thought of you becoming someone’s secret Santa might not turn the world around but is bound to touch and turn a person’s world around.
The myth of Santa Claus started around the 4th Century A.D in a city called Myra in the Asia Minor now known today as Turkey with a Bishop known as St. Nicholas who had a wealthy inheritance from his parents who died when he was really young. He was known as a kind bishop who looked out for those in need to help them. One story of St. Nicholas’ kind acts surpasses all. There was a poor man who had three grown up daughters ripe for marriage but couldn’t give them out because they had no dowry. St. Nicholas in a bid to give to this family secretly, climbed to the top of their house and dropped a bag of gold down the chimney. The bag of gold fell into a stocking that was left out to hang dry over the fire. The poor family found the bag of gold and the first daughter was able to get married. St Nicholas repeated this act again by dropping another bag of gold and the second daughter was married. The father curious to know who it was that was kind to his family, set up a watch and caught St. Nicholas while trying to drop another bag a third time. St. Nicholas begged him to not tell any one about this act of his but somehow every one got to known and it was soon a thing around town to allude to the kindness of St Nicholas when anyone gets a secret gift.
A lot of additions have been made to the story of St. Nicholas today but the act of giving and not expecting anything – back not even praise or accolades – is a heart touching act that cannot be ignored. I want to call this the spirit of Santa Claus and enjoin you to show this to someone in need this Christmas. Let the love of Christ in you spread around to those who are in need and helpless. Put a smile on someone face this Christmas. Watch as simple acts of love change lives this season.
