The Legend of Santa Claus

I found this story I wrote for a newsletter I edited and published years ago for the company I worked for. I changed a few things for this publication, but most of it remains unchanged. It is a fun look at the jolly old elf. Enjoy!

We all know Santa, he’s the jolly, round, old guy who lives at the North Pole. Santa Claus devotes his life to making children happy by gifting them with toys and gifts that he places under their Christmas trees while they are sleeping on Christmas Eve. Santa has a stable of magical flying reindeer with mystical names (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, oh and of course Rudolf, the most famous of all), and a workshop full of busy little elves. He accomplishes this herculean feat with the help of his loyal reindeer, the elves, and..magic ;) We of course know all of this, but who is Santa? Really? Well, that is a question not easily answered. After researching the history of Santa, it seems there is no true answer. Santa Claus is really a combination of different characters so complex and shrouded with mystery that it would literally take a whole volume to tell the story, but I will attempt to tell the story of some of Santa’s past.

A ways back in time, at some point in the fourth or fifth centuries, there lived St. Nicholas, who was a bishop in the Catholic Church. It is said that this man was rich, and stories abound that speak of his generosity. In one story St. Nicholas gave some impoverished young girls bags of gold so that they could have a dowry, and might therefore find husbands before their fathers could sell them into slavery. St. Nicholas did this under the cover of darkness, and anonymously. Another story tells of how St. Nicholas brought back to life murdered youths. Fascinating, yes?

A part of Santa’s character is credited to the Norse god Odin, the most powerful of all the Norse gods, much the same position as Zeus of Greek mythology. It is said that Odin would fly through the night sky with a pack of elves and spirits rewarding his believers with gifts. Odin was also able to cure disease and tell the future. People would leave provender out for Odin’s horse.

Father Christmas is yet another figure. It is said that this old world character got some of his magic from Melchior, the oldest of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem, bringing gifts to baby Jesus.

Who is Santa? Well, I guess we should go by the story we have been told from the time we were children. Santa lives at the North Pole, is eternally jolly, generous to a fault, and he is loved and adored by all who choose to believe in the magic. It doesn’t matter where he came from or who he really is because Santa Claus is, in essence the spirit of Christmas.

---Stephie

Life can change........on a dime

And it does. Change. Bad or good, life changes, sometimes all to quickly. Two weeks ago, one of my friends and fellow ghost hunter, Katie Sonmor, was struck by a pick-up truck, on a street in downtown Minneapolis. Katie was walking to work, crossing the street in the crosswalk, and was hit by a large truck.

Unconscious for days, we didn't know if she would survive. The swelling in her brain forced the doctors to remove a part of her skull. The first time I saw her after the accident, I was stunned. In disbelief, I gaped at our little Katie, so fragile, so swollen, so unconscious on that ICU hospital bed. Hooked up to all kinds of machines including a respirator, it was hard to swollow. Jerry, Kacie, Mae, George and I were all silent looking at our dear friend and crewmate with whom we have shared so much over the past year. It was almost too much to bear, I so wanted to cry. Mae, who is phenomenally educationed in crazy kinds of healing, lead all of us in an energy giving exercise, it's intent to give Katie much needed healing energy. We all stood around her bed and put our hands over her while thinking and trying to give her good energy. It was an amazing experience, and I would like to think it helped, if only a bit.

Katie is conscious now, and she is making progress, though painfully slow. Though she is conscious, she is unable to communicate. Kacie has been in Katie's hospital room most days this week, my wonderful girl, she wants to be there, she wants to try nudge Katie out of that cobwebby world she is in. Two days ago when I saw Katie, she was conscious, but did she know who we were? I'd like to think so, but I don't really know.

I am sad. Katie's accident has left a gaping hole. I have often commented to many that the SIM Crew is a tight bunch, we see each other often, we all get along magnificently, and we enjoy being together. Katie and I always teamed up for investigations, she said we were "team cool". Every week I would see Katie and we communicated almost daily. Now "team cool" is missing the coolest member indefinately, and I so miss her.

In two weeks time an abbreviated SIM Crew will be doing another Northern Frights event at the same location we did in with Katie. It will be insanely difficult without Katie at our side. So, although I've thought about writing about this traumatic event, I just couldn't do so until now. I think it's finally sunk in, this horrible twist of fate. It makes me realize just how precious our lives are, and how much we need to tell people how much we love them and to be prepared. Life can change for better or for worse on a dime.

My Sadie Rose

It has been six years to this day that my pup Sadie Rose passed away. Miss Sadie was awesome, and she was my best friend. She was always where I was and she had the knack of making me smile when I was feeling down. Every day when I got home from work she LOUDLY announced to the world her pleasure. She protected me, loved me, and stood next to me, always. I will always have dogs in my life, but there will never be another like Sadie. She courageously went through six months of chemotherapy for her lymphoma cancer, and received an extra year of this life. Her doggy laughter was contagious, you couldn't help but smile and laugh with her crazy antics.

She passed out of this world way too soon, at only six years old she was still just a baby. I love her. I miss her. I will always miss her.

Giving Old Man Winter the boot

Old Man Winter, I want you to leave me be. I no longer want to feel your freezing cold wind cutting into my cheeks. I would like to have some time without the ache in my back from shoveling the snow you continually dump on me. Oh, and did I mention all the bruises decorating my body, put there by slipping and falling on all of the ice you like to leave laying around? Well, I'd like to have a bruise-free body thank you very much.

I want to see other seasons now. I want to feel the warm Spring sun on my face. I want to open my windows wide and let the fresh air in. I want to take my Duncan for a walk and not FREEZE. I want to dig my toes into the hot sand on the beach and breathe in the glorious fragrance of the sea and her salty breeze.

I want to dig in my garden and plant the seeds that will grow into big beautiful Sunflowers.

I want to linger in the Summer sun and enjoy my gardens filled with beautiful flowers and butterflies and big bumble bees.

So Old Man, it's time for you to check out. I am giving you the boot. I know I'm in for a fight, but eventually........eventually I WILL win.