The Bookworm Wife Recommends…

(Source)

This book is another holiday tradition for me.  The Autobiography of Santa Claus,  as told to Jeff Guinn, is a great read to get you in the holiday spirit every year.  Every December I pull it out to read.  It’s less “fairy tale” and more historical than you’d expect—the book tells the story of the origins of Santa Claus, from when Bishop Nicholas of Myra began giving gifts in the third century A.D. all the way up until our present day ideas of Santa Claus.  It’s really neat to hear Santa himself explain how he can make it to all the children’s houses in the whole world in one night, who his helpers REALLY are, and how those reindeer can fly.  Using a mixture of historical fact, faith, and fiction, The Autobiography of Santa Claus answers all those questions and more, while subtly teaching readers about the spirit of Christmas. There are even 24 chapters, so you can read one each night all the way up to Christmas! The book is so engaging though, I’d be surprised if you could read just one each night.

And while we’re on the topic of Santa…

Two weeks ago, I told you about how I still believe in Santa Claus. There were lots of great comments on that post—thanks to everybody who contributed! I just wanted to offer a quick follow-up…this week I watched “Becoming Santa,” on Hulu, which is a documentary about a guy named Jack Sanderson who decides to become Santa for a holiday season—and if he is going to do that, he decides he’s going big or going home.  He grows out his beard, dyes his hair white, and attends a big time “Santa School” to learn all about representing the Big Man.  The documentary showcases Jack’s transformation, but also features sections on the history of Santa Claus throughout the world. It’s a really cool documentary, though for obvious reasons, I recommend it for adults only.

(Source)

One of my favorite lines? When Jack is at Santa School, he says, “I think tomorrow we drink the kool-aid.” Hilarious. Also, he does a stint on the Polar Express and there is the CUTEST little girl who couldn’t wait to see him and then immediately freaks out when he gets close to her. So dang cute.

So check out The Autobiography of Santa and Becoming Santa on Hulu, and start a new holiday tradition for yourself!

“What do they share? They share the belief that love hope and joy is the best in all of us.”
–in reference to the men around the world who play Santa Claus