Our interview with Santa was entirely accidental, at least on my part.

At the request of my editor, and feeling a little silly, I sent letters to the North Pole asking for the interview, but received no response so IB次元官网网址檇 pretty much given up.

But on a shopping excursion with my granddaughter we stopped at a mall Christmas display so she could sit on SantaB次元官网网址檚 lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas.

Now, I should say that my granddaughter long ago figured out that the mall Santas are only helpers in costume, but sheB次元官网网址檚 certain that they pass along her comments to the big guy, so she goes along with the charade. It always makes me smile to watch her on SantaB次元官网网址檚 lap.

This time, however, it was she who left the Santa enclosure with a huge smile.

B次元官网网址淕rampa! HeB次元官网网址檚 the real Santa! He got your letter and said heB次元官网网址檒l talk to you,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗e wants to meet you in the office behind customer service in 15 minutes. I said youB次元官网网址檇 be there.B次元官网网址�

So it was that I got to sit down with Santa to talk about Christmas, believing, and magic.

Tim: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, but tell me, how do I know youB次元官网网址檙e the real Santa?

Santa: (laughing) I suppose that you really donB次元官网网址檛, and IB次元官网网址檓 not going to prove it with any silly tricks. The truth is that you either believe or you donB次元官网网址檛. ThatB次元官网网址檚 always been the case.

Tim: OK. LetB次元官网网址檚 try a different approach. ItB次元官网网址檚 coming up to Christmas B次元官网网址� a busy time of year for you, IB次元官网网址檇 think, and here you are talking to children in a shopping mall. DonB次元官网网址檛 you have better things to do?

Tim: And what do you think is more important than talking to little children?

Tim: Um B次元官网网址�

Santa: Exactly. When you ask a question like that I can tell youB次元官网网址檙e heading down the road of making me prove IB次元官网网址檓 real. There are a thousand trick questions, and IB次元官网网址檝e heard all of them. How do I visit every home in one night? How do I know what every child wants? How do I get into homes without fireplaces and chimneys?

Tim: Well, what about it? WhatB次元官网网址檚 the answer?

Santa: Let me answer by asking you some questions. Do you still get a special feeling when you watch a childB次元官网网址檚 face on Christmas morning? Have you noticed people showing a bit more caring and love at Christmas, collecting food and toys for those who have less than they do? Does everyone seem a little nicer? Do Christmas carols make you smile and hum along?

There are a thousand, no, a hundred-thousand things like that that happen at Christmas, arenB次元官网网址檛 there? ItB次元官网网址檚 magic. You donB次元官网网址檛 question the Christmas Spirit.

Tim: So your saying that youB次元官网网址檙e magic?

Santa: IB次元官网网址檓 saying that Christmas lives in peopleB次元官网网址檚 hearts as a spirit of joy, kindness, and love; love not just for those who are closest to us, but for people youB次元官网网址檝e never met. Yes, itB次元官网网址檚 all magic, and IB次元官网网址檓 happy to be a part of that magic.

Tim: But the chimney thing B次元官网网址�

Santa: Look, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter if you believe in me. WhatB次元官网网址檚 important is the Christmas spirit B次元官网网址� that faith that there are things that are real, even if you canB次元官网网址檛 hold them in your hands. If that wasnB次元官网网址檛 true, if you needed proof of everything, then would you also say that you donB次元官网网址檛 believe in love? In kindness? In hope? Some things you believe, not because you can prove them, but because theyB次元官网网址檙e worth believing in. Christmas is one of those things.

SNM: So B次元官网网址� are you saying that you got my letters?

Santa: (sighing) You started each one by saying, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not sure youB次元官网网址檙e real, Santa, but if you are, I have some questions for you for my newspaper. Please respond.B次元官网网址� I was sad for you. I remembered how happy you were when you got your Viewmaster when you were just five years old. You believed in magic then B次元官网网址� more than anyone, and I was sorry youB次元官网网址檇 lost that belief. I thought IB次元官网网址檇 try to give you some of that back this Christmas. Take it as my gift to you B次元官网网址� a little early.

SNM: The Viewmaster? How did you know B次元官网网址�?

Santa: LetB次元官网网址檚 call it Christmas magic and leave it at that.

Merry Christmas.

tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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