Santa Claus needs no chimney

You better watch out, you better not shout, you better not cry, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town!

It’s time for the jolly bearded guy in red, with a sack over his shoulder, to come visiting on his reindeer. And children all over the city are on their best behaviour, eager to see what Santa brings them.

Abroad, children believe that Santa comes down the fireplace chimney. In India, for want of fireplaces, letters kept under pillows or stuffed in Christmas stockings are known to do the trick. Sometimes, prayers are said to work.

Alina Lewis, 8, who goes to Mary Immaculate Girls High School, Kalina, is ready with her letter, which she will put in a stocking under her pillow on December 24. Sweet and simple, it reads: “Dear Santa, please give me a Barbie doll. Merry Christmas!” Alina is also looking forward to Christmas to “celebrate baby Jesus’s birthday”, wear a new dress and go for midnight mass with her parents.

Kanika Agrawal, 7, a student at Vidya Vikasini High School, Vasai, has been penning colourful letters to Santa for four years. Last year she “asked Santa Claus uncle” for a cycle. Since she has grown a few centimetres, this year she wants a bigger cycle. Though her friends keep telling her that Santa does not exist, Kanika’s faith has not wavered. She has some questions though. Like where he comes from and how he gets here.

For Warren Remedios, 13, who goes to Campion School, Colaba, Christmas is about feeling good, a festival about pine trees decorated with lights, candy canes and gifts, with Santa being one of its more fun customs. An ardent Santa fan till he was eight, one question kept him guessing: how did Santa know what exactly I wanted? Not satisfied with the answer that “Santa read the list of things from the letter under the pillow”, he kept hounding his parents for the truth.

“I like the spirit of the festival. It’s the one time of the year when you get what you want,” says Warren, who enjoys putting up buntings and lights.

Arjun Dewan, 6, who attends Prime Academy, Andheri, wants a videogame from Santa. He has never been disappointed in the past. “Santa has given me a toy car, sharpener and scale,” he says with a wide smile.

For Camille Kunder, 13, a student at Bombay Scottish, Mahim, “Christmas is one of the few festivals where people from all religions come together to have fun.” Kunder’s preparations begin with decorating the Christmas tree, for which she takes her brother’s help. She says she prays to Santa every year and her wish always comes true with a neatly wrapped gift in her stocking. “My parents are my Santa and I still have no idea how they come to know just what I want.”

But there are sceptics too. Vasisht Srinivasan, 7, who goes to PSBB Millenium School, Bangalore, does not believe in Santa. His logic is simple: “Santa will not come to my house. After all, reindeers cannot fly”. Srinivasan knows that people dress up as Santa, and so he directly asks his mum for what he wants. “Santa exists only in movies,” he says.
But since childhood is all about dreams and fable, parents and avuncular neighbours step into Santa’s shoes and maintain a legend by making children believe.