***

"I am sure that no kids read your column. If by chance one did, and you ruined his/her dream of something other than the horrible life that poor kid lives, then, shame on you."–<ssjomo@sbcglobal.net>

My reply: If you believe that Santa Claus is the solution to an impoverished Filipino child’s dreams, shame on you! Santa is for kids with wealthy dads who can afford this Santa culture of buy buy buy. This impoverished child that you are concerned with has never received anything from Santa. His parents are too poor to buy gifts on behalf of Santa, attributed to Santa’s benevolence, delivered by Santa’s reindeer. These children you’re so concerned with live in shacks with no chimney for Santa to fall down into.

Santa was a Christmas image now played to excess. Christmas is about Jesus Christ, remember? Christmas is the Lord’s birth anniversary. Instead of Santa, how about an exchange of gifts within the family, little home-made gifts from Bunso to Kuya? A pair of socks from Nanay to Tatay. Bonding within family. Why all these gifts from Santa Claus? Better that gifts are from members of the family. And all those Santas in stores urging passers-by to BUY, BUY, BUY....

Christmas is the wonderful day of Christ who came with the promise of a hereafter life eternal. Season of celebrations, reunions, visits to seldom-visited friends and relatives, festive decorations, general house-cleaning.

Why depend on the fictitious Santa to help these poor kids? What have you, yourselves, done this past year to improve "the horrible life that the poor kids live"? Write me about how you have helped these poor Filipino kids. I will publicize your project, with or without your name.

Your Santa Claus doesn’t gift poor kids. Santa has never been to their homes under bridges. Only the rich kids receive Santa gifts under Xmas trees, claimed to be from Santa Claus, but in reality from their wealthy parents.

***

"Thanks, Grinch."–<noeldelafuente@sbcglobal.net>

My reply: Like many, you obviously do not know your Dr. Zeuss books. You likened me to Dr. Zeuss character, Grinch, because I want to de-emphasize Santa Claus as fictitious giver of all the goodies for children.

Grinch, who didn’t know Santa, was upset with all the noise, disturbance, excitement, ringing bells, and celebration of Christmas. Grinch wanted to end the noise of Christmas.

You must re-read Dr. Zeuss’s Grinch. He was a loner who hated Christmas. Grinch was anti-Christmas. I’m anti-Santa Claus who is getting the credit, love, gratitude and affection that rightfully belongs to the gift-providers (the parents).

I love the spirit of Christmas. I just see no need for the excessive western, commercialized Buy-Buy-Buy with Santa Claus on the forefront. Santa in a winter red outfit dropping down the chimney is a ridiculous persona for Filipino children.

Christmas is about Jesus Christ. Christmas is the Lord’s birthday. Family members showing love to each other by giving gifts. Not about Santa Claus ridding around on a sleigh dropping down the chimney. What’s a sleigh, what’s a chimney, poor Filipino kids ask.

Christmas is the wonderful day. The birthday of Christ who is the fulfillment of the promise of a hereafter life eternal.

Grinch hates Christmas. I love Christmas, but less Santa Claus, an overly commercialized needless western distraction, competition to a spiritual Christmas.–DA

***

"Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts about Santa Claus. I can understand your concern because I do agree that Christmas has been too commercialized. However, in this world of ours full of strife, poverty, social injustices, public corruptions, etc. somehow, somewhere, we need some escape route even just for a brief period. And as far as I know, having spent half of my life in the Philippines, there is no better time for goodwill toward our fellow men than Christmas. And as you know, Santa Claus, is one of the most popular symbols of this period.

I know you must have read the editorial written by Francis Church of the New York Sun years ago."—Lino Ribac (linor34b@netzero.net)

My reply: I first read Francis Church’s 1897 piece in high school, then re-read it again (http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia) before I reprinted last week’s, "No, Virginia, There’s no Santa." I have lived in comfort of American life for four decades. In the USA, the overly commercialized Santa fitted well into a decadent life style. But transporting the image of the Buy-Buy-Buy-Santa-culture to the Philippines for children living in barong-barong (without chimney) and under bridges and surviving on restaurant table left-overs is so incongruous.

These impoverished children of concern get nothing from any Santa. Their fathers cannot gift them (via Santa Claus) with anything. They are lucky if the family has food on the table during the holidays. The gift-carrying Santa Claus to them is another symbol only for the rich.

We’re not concerned with the well-off. The rich will take care of themselves. We are talking about the poor. What benefit from Santa Claus to poor Filipino children? DA

***

There were other letters on No-Santa. Jose Aparejo’<JAparejo@dtsc.ca.gov>, on my opinion that Santa should be downplayed, wrote in three English words that make no sense: "Entertain your brain."