The Spirit of Christmas
As a kid, many of us believe in Santa Claus. Then as we get older, we learn that this is just another illusion created by adults to protect us from some of the harsher realities of life. And to hopefully provide us with some good childhood memories. Somewhere along the line our childhood gets left behind along with Santa, The Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. So most of us are impervious to the fact that Santa actually IS real. Not in the tangible way we think, but as a more Spiritual and abstract construct.
Santa isn’t just some dude on a sleigh who takes his reindeer out for a spin on Christmas Eve to deliver presents. He’s not some guy in a costume at the mall taking pictures with children. He’s not the man outside the stores ringing the bell and collecting money. He’s the literal embodiment of the Spirit of Christmas. The magick we were taught not to believe in as adults. It’s the energy of hope, kindness, generosity, and love.
Why He Exists
I never really understood this idea until about 5 years ago. I was taking a class and our instructor was sharing a meditation she had earlier in the day where she ended up spending time with Santa at the North Pole. And it was the most beautiful and bliss-ed out energy just to be near him. The way she described it I suddenly realized I’d been looking at the Christmas holiday and Santa all wrong!
Part of the problem with adults is that they’ve forgotten that magick is real. It exists everywhere and is here to help us, support us and allow us to play and have fun. To dream big and stay open to the possibilities. Which ironically is the complete opposite of what the standard concept of adulting looks like. Its no wonder that people are tired of what this holiday has transitioned into. It’s the complete opposite of what Santa wants us to be doing! And deep down I think our spirits realize that.
How to Catch Him
This year, especially with everything that has been going on, I think its more important than ever to take advantage of the amazing energy of the season. The nice part about Santa is that he’s easy to visualize because of the way he’s been publicly portrayed and mass produced. Your mind can clearly see him as a man with an unusually voracious appetite for milk and cookies. So, no matter what religion or belief system you come from, you can find a way to relate to him on a human level. And in doing so, you can access in the positive energy he wants to share with the world. His spirit isn’t defined by a particular religion. Nor its it focused on excluding any individual because of who they are or aren’t. All you have to do to dance in his magick is tell him you believe in him.
If you don’t know how to connect with Santa because he hasn’t been a part of your traditions in the past that’s OK. Look at the things you know about him in order to find a way to meet on common ground. I like to eat cookies so I can totally relate to him there. I also like to give people little gifts for no reason because I like to see them happy. As a Sagittarius I’m an eternal optimist which makes it easy to vibe with the hopeful energy he works in. As a witch I love that he uses his magick to bring every single kid in the world presents in one night. (If astral traveling through 24 time zones between 10 pm and 5 am isn’t witchcraft I don’t know what is! Don’t even get me started on the enchanted flying reindeer.) Santa really does have something for everybody. You just have to figure out what about him resonates with you.
Next time you come across a depiction of Santa Claus, I hope that you’ll see beyond the initial image of a big jolly guy in a red suit and understand he’s so much more that what we see on the surface. Instead of an overly commercialized figure, you’ll see a symbol that lets you know that magick is still alive and well in the world.
Ways to connect:
Join Santa somewhere though meditation. Ask him questions, tell him what you want for the holidays or ask him about the meaning of life. You can also just sit with him quietly by the fire and enjoy being part of his seasonal magick.
Connect with Santa using automatic handwriting. You can take some time to write a holiday spell or ritual together. Write a list of the ways you can bring more magick into your life. Think about what you’d like to have come your way for the upcoming year and write a list asking for it.
Create a Santa altar for December. Include something that represents him as well as some candles and other decorations that you find to be appropriate. Make sure you leave him offerings like cookies, milk or candy canes. Let Santa know that you’re inviting him, his Spirit and his magick into your home for the holidays. Make sure you say hello every day and give him thanks for bringing positive vibes your way. Make sure he feels welcome!