Claus and Effect

Is there really a Santa?
There must be . . . of course,
If there's not - how do presents and toys
Get delivered each year
By eight tiny reindeer
To the homes of all the good girls and boys?

The traditional tale
Of the night before Christmas
Says Santa piles gifts in his sleigh,
And takes off through the snow
With a grand, "Ho Ho Ho"
To deliver the goodies our way?

And no matter how big
Or how little we are
When we slip into bed Christmas Eve,
We all want to think,
"Santa's heading our way!"
We're trying our best to believe.

Is there really a list
Of who's naughty or nice
That's compiled by our merry old friend?
Have we made all this up?
Is there really a Santa?
Or, is this whole story pretend?

If there wasn't a Santa
Would childrens eyes sparkle
The way that they do when they see
All the special surprises
Of all shapes and sizes
Awaiting them under the tree?

If there wasn't a Santa
Would stockings be hung?
Would our homes be as merry and bright?
Would mistletoe, holly,
And boughs be so jolly?
Would our loved ones be such a delight?

If there wasn't a Santa
Would Christmas time feasts
Be as full of good food and good cheer?
Would grown ups be children
Again, for a while?
Would our troubles somehow disappear?

There's really a reason
For holiday hoopla -
A reason our halls are bedecked.
There's surely somebody
Behind all of this,
A cause for the Christmas effect.

As we hear far away,
"Merry Christmas To All"
And glimpse a sleigh dashing into the night,
We're smugly amused -
For the riddle's been solved . . .
There is really a Santa Claus!

Right?


(from a book by Mary Engelbreit)