Santa.

You might not know it if you knew me well, but I love Christmas. I don’t go all out like I used to (decorating my apartment for myself seems like such a chore), but in my head I can’t get enough of the sights and sounds of Christmas.

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the man himself, Santa Claus. Normally if you told me an old man was going to dress in a ridiculously bright red suit and ask me if I’ve been naughty or nice, I’d tell you you were sick in the head. But Santa is different. He gets away with it and pulls it off with ease.

I guess it’s the childhood factor that makes him such a good memory and keeps him enshrined in the “things you just don’t mess with.” I once overheard a kid tell a younger kid that there was no Santa Claus. Never in my life have I truly wanted to punch a kid…until then. Don’t go fucking it up for others if you don’t believe.

Me, I still believe. And I always will. Take away everything else in life that’s fun, just leave Santa alone.

Yesterday I spent some time with a friend and their kids. The best part of my entire day was hearing the one kid practically screaming in my ear and yelling, “Santa. It’s Santa. Look Santa.” And we were only driving by a display of lights that included Santa. Her complete excitement over it made my day. I hope when she’s my age she still feels the same, even if she doesn’t scream it out loud.

Merry Christmas everyone!

image courtesy of Holmes Palacios Jr.