Background
The jolly old man, Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, is mostly seen today as the man in red who brings toys to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve. However, his story dates all the way back to the 3rd century, when Saint Nicholas walked the earth and became the patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas first made his way into American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century. In December 1773, and again in 1774, a New York newspaper reported that groups of Dutch families had gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. This marked the beginning of Santa Claus’s connection to American holiday traditions. While many people believe that Santa Claus is just a myth in a child’s imagination, it turns out that not only children believe in the jolly old man—many others do as well. Here’s the proof behind their belief.
Interviews
There have been a few people who claimed to have seen Santa Claus, including some people at this school. When asked if they had seen him, two very trusted sources were interviewed more in-depth, and here are their experiences encountering Santa Claus.
First to share their experience is Jayden Cruz, who said, “I was a little 7-year-old. I woke up from sleeping, and it was 2:15 in the middle of the night. When I went to my living room, I turned my head and saw Santa eating the cookies I left for him. Then he said, ‘HO HO HO,’ went up to the chimney, and BOOM, he disappeared.”
The second person interviewed was Francesca Hall, whose experience was a little different. She said, “I was 6 years old. I was opening gifts when my sister and I looked out the window. Then I saw an old man with a long white beard and a red suit, but he wasn’t the usual old person with a long beard. There was something magical about him. Then he turned his head toward my sister and me, winked at us, and just disappeared.”
Hard Evidence
Nobody can just take someone’s word, especially when it comes to Santa. However, if there were a trusted source, it would definitely be the internet. The “Official NORAD Tracks Santa” website allows people of all ages, not just children, to track Santa’s location as he travels around the world on Christmas Eve. Although the website is not active until December 24, we’ll soon be able to use this website to see exactly where Santa is. Once that day comes, we’ll have hard proof that Santa Claus is out there—he isn’t just a myth. He really does exist. You can track Santa HERE on December 24.
Personal Experiences
Chris
When I was a kid, I was convinced that Santa was real because of a few magical experiences. One Christmas Eve, I remember hearing the sound of bells and footsteps on the roof. My parents told me it was Santa and his reindeer. My parents wouldn’t lie to an innocent, adorable little boy like me. Then, the next morning, I found a beautifully wrapped gift under the tree that hadn’t been there the night before, with a tag that said “From Santa.”
Nathanael
I also had a magical encounter with Santa. I had gotten home from a family party on Christmas Eve, and it was about 1:30 AM. Everybody went to sleep pretty quickly, and just as I was falling asleep, I heard a little giggle. I went downstairs, and there was an elf next to one of my gifts! Standing next to him was Santa Claus! Santa was placing a gift when he said, “Merry Christmas, beautiful boy,” and snapped his fingers. The next thing I remember is waking up on Christmas Day.
Conclusion
To wrap it all up, is Santa Claus real? Well, as we can see from this article, it proves that Santa Claus is real. So, DON’T end up on the naughty list and have a very Merry Christmas!
Works Cited:
- A&E Television Networks. (n.d.). Santa Claus: Real origins & legend. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/santa-claus
- Official NORAD Tracks santa. (n.d.). https://www.noradsanta.org/en/
