From the desk of Wally Dawkins, Athletic Director:

I have always believed in Santa Claus.

Still do!

In fact, I know for sure Santa exists now because he came to The Kyle Lake Athletic Center at Brook Hill last week which has made me more convinced than ever that the jolly round man in the red suit is for real.

You would believe too if you heard how Santa explained all the things to the kids that we as adults have a hard time answering.

Like the three keys Santa wears on his belt.  The big key is known as the “Chimney Expander”.  This key actually makes the chimney bigger for Santa to slide down, puts out the fire in the fireplace, then after Santa leaves, returns everything to just like it was!!!  It makes total sense to me now.

And then there is that middle key on Santa’s key ring.  It is a magical key that can unlock any house anywhere AND turn off the alarm automatically if that particular house has an alarm system.  It’s really not that complicated and I totally get it!

Santa also explained why he drove to Brook Hill in his Santa Mobile, instead of having his reindeer pull his sleigh.

The answer to that question was so simple, I felt silly for not already knowing it myself.  You see, Santa only uses his sleigh on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  And since Santa married a girl from East Texas, they have to drive down here quite often because an East Texas girl can’t be away from her mom very much.

I can relate!

And Santa was so cool.  His Elves have gotten him an app for his smart phone called the “Niceometer”.  Santa would take his cell phone, scan the person in front of him, and the phone would display “naughty” or “nice”.

Sadly for me, out of everyone who was scanned, I was the only one that displayed “naughty”.  But as Santa reminded me, there was still enough time left before Christmas, to get it changed to nice and I am hard at it.

But the main reason I believe is because, well… if you could have seen the looks on the faces of those children, when they first saw Santa sitting in Founders Suite in his very own chair, you would believe too.  You know you just can’t fool kids.  Especially not the young ones like the children in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade.

The excitement and wonderment in their eyes convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, Old Saint Nick, whatever you want to call him, is as real as… well as real as The North Pole itself!

And Santa explained that too.  People have never seen Santa’s house at The North Pole because it is under the ice.  Under the polar ice is where Santa, and Mrs. Claus, and the 70,779 Christmas Elves live including Benjamin who is the Head Elf.

Wow!  Santa’s ability to clarify so many of these things last week has caused me to feel like I have had a ton of bricks lifted off my shoulders.

As adults, we have to be able to explain everything.  It has to be logical to us or we refuse to believe it.

We get everything so twisted with words like impossible or ridiculous or preposterous.

I have never quit hearing the bell (If you have seen the movie The Polar Express…you get this!).  Last year I was lucky enough to be in Brussels at the end of November when they celebrated the official beginning of the Christmas Season.  This celebration began in The Grand Place, which was much like a huge town square.  The lighting of the 40 foot Christmas tree was the main event, but prior to it being lit, Christmas music filled the cobblestone street square which was lined with six to ten story buildings that went straight up.  As the music played, multi-colored lights illuminated the face of each tall building, and changed colors with the beat of the music.  It was magical!  Just like I had just stepped off The Polar Express.

I hope you too can still hear the bell, and that your family has a great Christmas.  I know as parents you are relieved  that you can not only be Santa Claus, but the real Santa is alive and well under the ice at The North Pole.

It’s Christmas, and that’s another reason to be “ALL ORANGE…All The Time”!