BRINGING BACK SANTA CLAUS

By Roland Andrei T. Carada

I believe that Christmas is not so much about the presents, but it is about bringing joy and touching someone’s heart. My Dream in a Shoebox has always had that mission – to bring joy to underprivileged children and make their dreams come true. This is why, during our gift-giving days, I would dress up as jolly ol’ Santa Claus for all the kids. It has been two years since I’ve been Santa, and it’s something I miss.

I still remember it clearly in my head. I would come in with the volunteer team, dressed in regular clothes, and then I would sneak away, changing into that familiar red and white suit.

And then when I entered the venue – bedlam! The kids would all stand up, break their pretty organized lines and peer at this fat (although short) man in red, and then rush towards me in a frenzy.

Most would come up to me and hug me. Some would tug at my beard, asking if it was real. And some pilyo kid would be poking me in the back for God knows what reason.

But everyone and I mean everyone, from the volunteers to the kids, to the parents outside watching out if their son or daughter got their merienda, would have one expression – unbridled JOY.

I wasn’t the first Santa Claus. That honor belongs to Michael Allan Hamlin, co-founder of TeamAsia and My Dream in a Shoebox. Imagine this tall, stocky American with a beard walking through the sweltering Philippine heat. All the kids back then would line up properly, and some would sit on his lap and take pictures. It was magical.

When he passed, it became our mission to continue his legacy. We would wear Santa hats, play games with the kids, and give our shoeboxes filled with school boxes. We were like Santa’s elves filling in for the big man.

I never imagined that I would become Santa Claus. That is until what I thought was a joke became reality. Clah Salindato asked me to try out being Santa and for the life of me, I didn’t know why I said yes.

The rewards however are worth it. Making people happy is a reward that can never be replicated. You know how when you see that look of happiness on a kid’s face, that patina of abject wonder at seeing you? That’s a heart punch you cannot describe if you haven’t experienced it yet.

I remember the first time I ever did this and a kid came up to me and she said, “I love you, Santa.” It was so adorable. I was crushed and in fact, I was crying a little bit.

Exhausting? Yes. But fulfilling? A hundred times yes.

COVID-19 changed all that, of course. No more gatherings allowed for everyone’s safety and thus no more Santa.

The thing is – it was never about Santa. It’s about making dreams come true. Every box we give out is one more child with a fighting chance for the future.

I miss being Santa. I miss working with the other volunteers. But I realize, Santa doesn’t need to come out every time.

Because you and I, we can be Santa together. You can make a difference. Imagine if you donate an e-hub or a set of shoeboxes and it gets to the children. Imagine the joy on their faces, when even in a pandemic, Santa came through, bearing gifts.

Imagine that. And maybe, just maybe, you will be crying happy tears too.

Are you interested in becoming Santa for this year? Visit this link to learn more on how you can help children all over the country. Let’s make #BiggerDreams come true.