Santa?!

When I sit down and think about it, it really disturbs me to think about the image of Santa Claus.  Not that I find him scary or offensive, but he is simply not representative of Saint Nicholas of Myra, off of whom he is based.  We started off with the coolest bishop who ever lived (mainly because he literally beat the crap out of Aryanism), but he somehow ended up as a big bowl of jelly who sits around making toys all day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Well, regardless of what he is (or what he was), one idea very near and dear to my heart arose from our dear friend to the North: the Santa Claus Effect.  Similar to the ideas in the movie The Santa Claus, starring Tim Allen, the Santa Claus Effect attempts to examine the changes that occur in Freshman-through-Senior organizations.

When freshman first enter high school, everything seems fresh to them: more challenging classes, more daunting social routines, and afterschool activities.  The latter is where Santa lives: the seniors, with three years of experience and knowledge.  These new freshman, in all their eagerness, are massively off-putting to their elders and are seldom accepted into their respective groups right away, whether it be track, band, football, or the anime club.  Even so, the freshmen still try to model themselves after the visibly popular seniors.  After all, they are the most skilled, and if you act like them, won’t everything else follow suit?

When Sophomore Year rolls around, things begin to change.  The “Santas” that led them through their first steps into high school are gone, the ones who showed them where all their rooms were, told them when they were acting stupid, and helped them get better at running/throwing footballs/playing sonatas, and it feels as though something is missing, and doubt fills their minds.  It’s akin to the feeling of sneaking downstairs and seeing your parents eat the cookies you set out for Santa: you wonder if he was ever there at all (or, in this case, if they were even that good at what they did).  Just in case, they start buying gifts for their friends, in case he did ditch them.

Still, there is a newfound acceptance from the now juniors and seniors, one both unexpected and pleasant.  Now able to safely navigate the halls without Chris Cringle, they find themselves enjoying their newfound freedom.

When Junior Year comes to pass, it is very apparent that Santa was a phantom of the imagination: they set out the presents for your younger siblings, a large portion of them you bought with the money from their summer job, and they keep most of the cookies for yourself.  Maybe even you start to wear the Santa suit around town, mocking the thought that they ever believed in Santa at all. 

For the first time in their career as high schoolers, the juniors realize why they were so dejected as freshman: there is a massive amount of work to be done!  A boatload of AP courses, college essays to write, long-term relationships that eat up ALL of their time, making toys (wait, making toys?) and a bunch of other things.  Under stress, though, they perform, they excel even, and it does not go unnoticed: the freshman in their organizations can tell that they really know what they’re doing, and they begin to ask for directions, for help with their geometry homework, and even watch when they’re doing some extra practicing. 

Finally, when Senior Year comes around, the Seniors have grown rotund, their cheeks rosy, and know everything there is to know about the holiday season; they have become Santa Claus, with all the rights and responsibilities that it entails.  They are out recruiting new freshman for their organization, pushing the people around them to their limits, and, most importantly, setting the example for the Freshman.

While they thought going into the year they would be breezing by, the workshop is in full gear.  Not only do they have to take care of their own homework, they have to do college applications, college visits, apply for scholarships, grow a beard (yes, grow a beard), and provide leadership to the people younger than them.

So perhaps Santa isn’t so ridiculous after all.

 

Do you think Santa’s fake?  Are you the Christmas Hero of your school organization? Let me know:

Matt45luvdr@gmail.com