Poor old Santa Claus. Sometimes he gets a bad rap. People say he doesn't represent Christmas well. People say he doesn't set a good example for Christians celebrating December 25. And people say'gasp!'that he doesn't even exist. Plus, there are some folks out there who are trying to confuse just who Santa is. Is he really Saint Nicolas? Or is he some imposter, some big elf from the North Pole who wants to take credit for everything that Saint Nick has done and stands for.

Scary stuff, right? Well, if you are getting too upset by these anti-Santa ideas, perhaps you should stop reading this article now. It only gets worse the deeper you get into these anti-Santa theories.

Are you still with us? Good, because to preserve our image of Santa Claus'our jolly old man'we need to know why people are out to get him. Then, and only then, can we stop them from trashing the good name of the man in the red suit.

First off, these anti-Santa folks admit that Santa has some really great qualities. He's always cheerful and happy. He always has fun games and gifts to give, and he is always generous (unless you were naughty, of course). But here is where these anti-Santa people stop with the compliments. You see, they say that Santa, with all his goodness, is only for children and not for grownups.

Worse yet, they say that Santa is only around these days to make money for giant Eastern shopping syndicates. He's only here to make other people a buck. All that stuff about Santa giving gifts, and spreading good cheer, is all made up, they say. The real purpose of the man with the white beard and the red cap is to get us to consume, to spend money, to give gifts just like Santa does.

This is horrible anti-Santa stuff, right? Well, believe it or not, it gets worse. These anti-Santa folks go on to say that Santa can't be believed because he flies around the globe in a sleigh. Obviously, the anti-Santa folks have no faith in Rudolph. And speaking of faith, the anti-Santa folks also say that Santa takes away from the real purpose of Christmas, which is to celebrate Baby Jesus.

You see, these anti-Santa folks say the real Saint Nicolas is better than Santa. He was an actual person, they say, who believed and practiced goodwill to all men, women, and children. He was kind and generous, and was a devout believer in Baby Jesus. And Santa isn't real, they say?

Had enough? Me too. Here's how you can know that these anti-Santa folks are way off base. What these anti-Santa folks don't understand is that Santa and Saint Nick are one and the same. So you can't say that Saint Nick is better than Santa, or that Santa is copying Saint Nick's style. Saint Nick is Santa! Together, as one, they represent all that is good about Christmas, and all that we should practice every day, not just December 25.

So, please, anti-Santa bashers, please leave the big man alone. He's never done anything but bring holiday cheer, love for humankind, and tons of fun.

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