Christmas Traditions: How to find Santa in the Santa Claus Tradition

"How can I find Santa?" Has anyone ever asked you that question? Perhaps you are the one who wondered how to find Santa Claus. 

Maybe as a small child, you had a chance to sit on Santa's knee, at the mall. Did you get to whisper in his ear and tell him exactly what you wanted for Christmas? Maybe you even pulled his beard and heard him laugh and say, "Ho, ho, ho!"

If you were a young child right now, you would have no problem in finding Santa. In fact, you would know that he is going to arrive on your rooftop early on Christmas morning. His sleigh will be drawn by nine reindeer. Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer, will be his lead reindeer.

Santa will miraculously come down the chimney, place some wonderful presents for everyone under the Christmas tree and help himself to the cookies and milk that you, ( and your Mom and Dad), are going to leave on the table for him. You will probably learn to recognize the sound of reindeer hooves clattering upon the roof when he arrives and leaves, if you are not familiar with that sound already. Santa may even holler "Merry Christmas" to you and your family, as he departs.

Maybe your Mom and Dad helped you to write a letter, to send to the North Pole. Did you remember to tell him that you were nice and not naughty? You don't really want a lump of coal or a carrot this year. Presents are so much nicer!

If you were a little bit older at this time, you might be more skeptical about Santa, and whether or not you can find him. "Is Santa real?" you might ask. Perhaps you had a chance to see him in the Santa Claus parade, or at your school Christmas concert. Did he look real to you? Was he giving out candy canes and presents? Who and what determines whether Santa is real? More than likely, he was wearing a red suit with white cuffs, a red and white hat, a black belt and shiny, black boots.

If you are a parent, you probably realize that your older child has more of an inquisitive nature. Depending upon your response to him or her, he or she might be totally convinced of the reality of Santa. But at the same time, the reality of Santa question is time-dated. The child grows older and deals with his reality differently. It is only a matter of time before the Santa concept is no longer real to your older child.

A tween or preteen, being a bit older, is looking for Santa in an entirely different place. Suddenly, parents take on the Santa role. The tween still waits for Santa to come, but this time through some powerful parent-tween Christmas magic, he or she persuades the parent or parents to do the Santa thing, at just the right time.

The teen, being even older and much wiser, is a bit more realistic about how to find Santa. Money becomes more important, as the teen decides that he or she is old enough to be able to choose and purchase his or her own Christmas gifts. Maybe he or she can do it all alone, too. Perhaps the sentimental teen still waits for Mom and Dad to do everything that Santa would normally do for him or her.

Older teens, young adults or newly weds who are madly in love, look for Santa to come through one another. Some kind of a magical puppy-love element prevails in this kind of Santa expectation. There may still be parental expectations that must be met.

The young couple with their own little children is in the best position of all to find Santa. They bring the magic back to Christmas with the golden opportunity to introduce their children to Santa, by what they say or do. Now Christmas includes grandparents, aunts and uncles, who want to play Santa, too.

The cycle starts all over again, or does it?

Married couples, whose families are growing up and starting their own families, will look to each other for the Santa factor at Christmas. A lot, if not most of them, are involved in some way to make Christmas better for their own families and other families. They may be doing the Santa thing for their children and grand-children or even for other children. There still might be the odd Scrooge here and there. "Bah, humbug!"

Older people still find Santa, but this becomes a reverse-Santa role, as their children and grandchildren take on the Santa Claus role with them and act on their behalf. Many times, the ones playing Santa in the community are elderly, bearded men with white hair, out there jingling bells to collect money for the needy, or playing the role of Santa for hospitals, nursing homes, various civic or recreation centers, clubs, organizations etc.

So, one must conclude that how you can find Santa, depends a lot upon your age and role in life, at any particular moment in time.

Where can you find Santa early in December? You will probably find him at the North Pole, busy with his elves, making all kinds of toys for children. This is where he resides with Mrs. Santa and his elves, all year round.

Where can you find Santa just before Christmas? Try going to a school Christmas concert or to a Santa Claus parade. He may be in front of the mall, collecting money for the poor or inside the mall with little children on his knee. Their parents are looking for photographs, of course. That is proof enough that he exists, isn't it?

Where can you find Santa on Christmas Eve? He is probably still at the North Pole with Mrs. Santa and the elves. Maybe he is just starting to get his sleigh packed with toys. Perhaps he is getting his reindeer ready to fly all around the world. He just might be on the way to your home right now if he has already started delivering presents.

Where can you find Santa early Christmas morning? Try looking on the roof of your house first. Maybe he is in your living room eating cookies and drinking milk. (He might be stuck in the chimney.) Perhaps he is back up on the rooftop already. More than likely, he is high in the sky, moving on to the next house.

If you cannot find Santa there, you may have to find him somewhere else, depending upon how old you are. Just look into the eyes of those you talk to and you just might see his reflection somewhere. You might find him in among some of the decorations on the Christmas tree. Did you see that light sparkle?

Oh, the magic of Christmas,  it must be Santa love! Beware as it is contagious.

Maybe it is already your turn to be Santa for someone else? Wherever you find Santa, know that you will know that he is real, by the twinkle in his eyes and so will others.