Is Santa the "Right" Thing to Do? A Nod to Shakespeare...

As a parent, it frequently happens that you question a lot of things:

• societal norms
• they way you were raised
• the way you weren't raised
• the way others are being raised or raising their own
• a plethora of other ideals, mainstream and not-so-mainstream

One of these that comes up is the cultural myth of Santa Claus. In deciding to follow the tradition of Santa, many things have to be taken into consideration-- one of the biggest being the fact that you have to consistently maintain a complex fabrication while at the same time being flexible as your fabrication butts up against those of the rest of the families with which your child comes into contact.

In pondering this idea, I made an allusion to Shakespeare saying to myself, "To Santa, or Not to Santa...", which then sparked many an image in my mind:

• Negative images
• greed
• Black Friday stampedes
• last-minute stressful shopping
• being unhappy with what you get
• Positive images
• smiling faces
• the joy of giving
• the excitement of Christmas morning
• being happy because you have family time
• hot chocolate and movie time snuggles

And so, I have taken the famous "To Be or Not to Be...." soliloquy from Shakespeare's Hamlet and changed some of the words to fit my own thoughts.  I did keep quite a few of his words and tried to keep his "word vibe" when possible.This was challenging and quite fun at the same time.

I realize this version sounds kind of negative when pondering the idea of including Santa as part of a child's life growing up, and while that wasn't my intent, it's how it turned out. That being said, I plan to attempt the converse of this sentiment in the near future.

Enjoy!

To Santa, or not to Santa, that is the question—

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The whines and cries of outrageous children,

Or to take arms against thine own offspring,

And by opposing, end them?

They beg, they plead—

Want more! But buy no gift to say we end

The heart-ache, and the thousand greedy wants

That children now “need”?

'Tis a realization: children, they want more.

They want, you give, you give, and then they need;

Aye, there's the thing, for in that need and wanting, Santa Claus.

Where we have spent our money this time of year

Must give us pause. There's the reason

That makes a family of so long life:

For who would bear the whims and pouts of time,

The father’s wrong, the mother’s contumely,

The pangs of day to day, a life’s delay,

The insolence of youth, and the scorn

That patient virtue of the unworthy takes,

When we ourselves might change this future course

and say ‘No Santa’?

But who would bear this,

To fight and push under a weary life,

But that the dread of something, after bought,

Might break or be forgotten?

As Santa,

No parent returns, empty in hand,

But makes us rather bear those ills we have,

Of this ought to buy when we have no need

Thus the culture does make cowards of us all:

You want, I buy, you plead, I give: when does it stop?

I’m sicklied o'er, with the pale cast of thought,

This “Santa” engineers this feeling in me

In this regard my feelings turn awry

I loathe my indecision. Mind you now,

My spry young son. Thus, in all your futures

Remember my love, not Santa.