We all remember those tales of Old Saint Nick we heard when we were younger. Now as middle schoolers, some of us have come to believe that this was a story that parents used to keep us well-behaved (since none of us wanted a lump of coal in our stockings). But are we correct thinking that this fat-bellied man is fake? Or does someone really come down our chimney on Christmas Eve?

We always hear the name Santa as the holidays get closer.  Whether it’s Kris Kringle, Father Frost, or Saint Nicholas, he is still known as the jolly man who delivers presents every Christmas Eve. He eats our cookies and drinks our milk. Or is it our parents doing all of this to keep the spirit alive?  

Maybe Saint Nick doesn’t want to be found. Perhaps that explains all the kids who have stopped believing in him. He should know that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is onto him. For the past sixty-one years, NORAD has been tracking his travels around the world on Christmas Eve.  According to the command spokesperson, Preston Schlachter, “Last year was a good year for us – we had more than 141,000 phone calls.”  Families call so that their eager children can find out when Santa will drop down their chimneys. Other families call with sightings of Santa. Maybe they’ll see him as he puts present in their stockings.

If he is real, how do we explain the Santas we see at the mall? Maybe they are Mr. Kringle’s siblings? That would explain all of his nicknames. They might even all be Santa. They probably take turns being the face of the “company.” Unless they are just some guys who are looking for a way to keep the holiday spirit alive.

So maybe he is real. Our military seems to think so. Or is Santa just our parents’ go-to “you better behave” trick? No matter what, there are still some who will always believe in Santa. Who knows? Our fantasies of him might even be a reality.