Our Jolly Old Man of Benevolence
As the world gears up to celebrate Midwinter’s most significant sabbath, Father Christmas’s popularity starts to blow up the roof.
Several legends depict St. Nick’s origin and good deeds in his life; from sending alms to the poor to giving gifts to the nice kids, Santa never fails to spread Christmas cheer. While the Nordic countries claim Santa lives in their own countries, other parts of Europe and the US say that the North Pole is where he truly resides. In short, Santa has a whirlpool of legends surrounding him always.
But is it all about leaving cookies and milk and discovering gifts the next morning? Or even is it just about some ‘clever’ kids relentlessly reminding some other ‘not-so-smart’ ones that Santa isn’t ‘real’? It’s rather sad that ancient pagan myths of Odin and the Germanic protector of children’s spirit Holda have been reduced to a capitalist symbol that increases sales in dazzling malls, overflowing with commerce. Well, if we equate a hell lot of traditions with simple gift-giving, we are deemed to be misguided and all hatred starts to make sense too!
In all the stories about Santa, St. Nicholas of Myra, or Grandfather Frost, the only thing that remains constant is the law of Karma.
Good ones get rewarded, at least in these old wives’ tales. While the world stands numb to the miseries inflicted by oppressors and tyrants, the philosophy of Sinterklaas appears to be that tale of comfort, albeit ‘childlike’ and temporary that still keeps hope intact. There’s enough wrong with the world, if all the legends of a benevolent human representing abundance and kindness, come together to stand as an epitome of Justice dictated by an imperishable righteous force, there’s no harm!
“Faith moves mountains, and love brings you home.”
