20. Santa Is Fictional – What a Bummer
It grieves us greatly to break it to those unaware of the fact, but Santa Claus is not real, but a fictional character. In the runup to every Christmas, kids – as well as adults who have managed to hang on to the kid within – become giddy with anticipation of what Old Saint Nick has in store for them. Like an omniscient deity who can observe all and see into our souls, Santa can tell who has been naughty or nice, and rewards us accordingly with either goodie in our stockings, or a lump of coal.
The American version of Santa has him busy in his workshop in the North Pole, where Christmas elves toil to make toys for him year-round. He then distributes them around the world with flying reindeer that pull his sleigh through the air. That take is the one that became the globally dominant depiction of the legend, and it is the product of a melting pot of cultures, that resulted in the fat, jolly, and bearded grandfatherly figure we all know and love.
