I am still the Anti Santa

In 2013 I wrote a piece called I am the Anti Santa, available here

Every year from 01 December until 25 December I wear a Bah Humbug hat, (See here)

I showed a copy of my original blog to someone who does not like my hat, and actually got be a Santa hat with an annoying bell to wear,

Their response was along the lines that Christmas should be time just to consider the joyous things and not the miserable things. This person just wants Christmas to be happy all the time with any gloom banished.


It sounded like a point was spectacularly missed

In my original blog I wrote

To the realm of the Anti-Santa belongs those who remember loved ones who have gone to that country, from where those who are borne to can never return, especially those who mourn the recently departed as they endure their first Yuletide separated from them. 

By shear irony of fate, I am included amongst them as my mother died this year, and in our church an elderly lady passed away. This will be my first Christmas since my mother's death, and the way some go on about not wanting any gloom to dampen proceedings am I not supposed to even think about her?

Try going around to people who now find themselves on their own due to bereavement or desertion, or a loved one serving abroad and  insist they get into the Christmas spirit?

That seems like arrogance.

You will have a good time or else!!!

Where is the sensitivity?

I would hope that Santa would be more understanding.

Have these people ever visited a hospice, or a hospital at Christmas. Yes the people there may try and cheer it up with a scrawny tree and pathetic tinsel, but behind the façade is a sadness and resignation. Death and pain is ever present, whatever it says on the calendar.

And yet, the pain that some feel by this season is amplified by certain people who insist on us being jolly, because they do not want to think of such things, thank you very much.

Is this not cruel?

Someone is hurting here, but they do not care, they want to have a time of jollity and feasting, and if someone dares to not be feeling the same, irrespective of reason, like death of a parent or close confident, then perhaps it would be best if they were not invited. (Don't want to dampen the party spirit do we)

I don't want to be a party pooper, but for some, this is the most lonely  and saddest time of the year, especially as places they try and escape to, shut down, leaving them isolated, because nobody wants them around to put a dampener on things.

And then there are the homeless, and destitute who have to rely on organisations like Crisis for a temporary roof over their heads. This time of year is not much joy, although some may make valiant attempts at putting on a brave face.

The point I thought I was making last time, is that for some, because of the way Christmas was hijacked by commercialism and some idealised notions, for some, to use the vernacular, "it sucks."


People are told to put on a happy face, no matter what has gone on in their lives, or get out of sight.

Now some people are happy at this time of year and have a whale of a time, and good luck to them. They inhabit the realm of that jovial character Santa.

But they need to remember, life is uncertain, as they say in scripture, "Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die". I found that out personally when my mother passed away after a sudden and unexpected illness, where it was discovered, too late that an aggressive cancer had erupted and weakened her so much, she was not able to recover from the emergency operation that she had to have.

So I will continue to represent, those for whom this season brings despair and desolation made more intense by the festive season and imposed jovialities of others.

I will continue to try and get others to show more sensitivity and compassion on those who find this time of year hard.

Because there is so much work to do in this respect, I am still the Anti Santa