I've noticed parents telling their kids that Santa will bring them presents if they are "good." I don't disagree with this idea. After all, how long do we have to manipulate the children into eating their vegetables and being quiet during a movie with the promises of a fictitious being bringing presents.
So ... what exactly is "good" ?
I know this isn't a new thought. Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote about this topic in his book "How Good Do We Have To Be." But that related to something more profound and spiritual. I'm talkin' about being commercially "good" and how it relates to the promise of presents from a bearded fat guy. So I have to wonder …
The Santa defined "good" seems be an idea defined and perpetuated by parents. Consequently, "good" seems to have a mercurial quality. For the most part it seems to mean being well-behaved and brushing your teeth every night. Though, some parents add the responsibility of having A's on your report cards. But what if some kids (like me back in the day) were just incapable of earning an A. Sure she’s smarter, but would that make my sister more "good" than me? … And is the quality of my presents reflected in this parental “good” scale? It would kind of suck that this is the best possible “good” I can deliver and I get a new sweater instead of that Atari 2600 game I wanted.
What if children are rated on an individual good scale rather than one big measurement system. I may not be able to deliver more than straight B’s on my report card, but I could get tremendous amounts of praise during piano recitals. I would imagine those kind of accomplishments should be factored in.
On the other end of the scale, what if this is a family of super villains. Consider that Harley Quinn and The Joker had a little super villain kids. One of the kids hatches a plan that wounds one of the little Batkids (not critically though – just a skinned knee) on the Gotham City Public School playground. After getting called into the principal’s office the Batkid is the one who gets suspended. You would have to think that Harley and Joker would think good of their kid and tell them that Santa would be bringing them a Tyco Battery operated Joker Van or something.
This Christmas season I find myself reflecting upon past Christmases and gifts that I’ve received over the years. For the most part, I think I was good … Santa never seemed to disappoint. I may not have been the ideal kid; and Santa probably should’ve considered me bad some years. As Christmas day draws closer perhaps “good” doesn’t refer to how well-behaved one is, but maybe … just maybe … how “good” the economy is.
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