Reflections From A Post Santa World…

This Christmas my 10 year old granddaughter, Raven, found out there is no Santa.  Or more accurately I should say she learned there is no fat old man in a red suit.  But her mother told her we are all Santa for each other.  In addition to considering her parents and me (“Who Needs Santa, I’ve got Nana!” is stitched on a throw pillow in my living room) her personal Santas, Raven was fascinated with the notion that she could be Santa too.

I couldn’t help but think about that as I watched the abundant generosity that is Christmas at Loaves & Fishes.  From the small fry bringing in cans from holiday parties, to whopping checks from businesses, we felt like Santa was at the door every day.  And in the pantries there were thousands of encounters between Santas and those finding themselves in desperate need at Christmas. 

I honestly don’t know who gets the most out of these encounters – I certainly get as much pleasure being Santa for Raven as she gets from receiving.  And at Loaves & Fishes I have told folks for years –everyone who is involved gets more out of it than they put in, or else why would they do it?  A lovely dimension of the Christmas miracle.   Who says there’s no Santa?