Santa doesn’t come to dirty house, and other myths 

Christmas break is a magical time of year when you’re a kid. There’s nothing like an extended break from the classroom and getting the chance to forget about your education, even if only momentarily. The excitement of Christmas is just icing on an already invitingly delicious cake. 

Parents, on the other hand, have to keep their little angels occupied for two weeks while preparing for the holidays. A merry Christmas doesn’t just fall out of thin air. It takes a lot of work; it takes a lot of money; and there’s a lot of stress.

And that, I think, is the origin of this bit of parental wisdom from my childhood: Santa Claus doesn’t come to a dirty house.  

Every year my mama handed down this declaration to entice children to help with the chores leading up to all the family gatherings, parties and pageantry of the season. It was easy persuasion for kids looking for a good haul of presents under the tree on Dec. 25. 

Now, as a parent with children of my own, I see no harm in the little white lie added to the legend of Santa Claus. I mean, we’ve perpetuated the story of a generous fat guy who keeps tabs on children all year and breaks into their house one night a year. If I can get a clean house out of it, no foul, right? 

Santa can be a tricky subject. I don’t want to live in a world where there’s no magic and fantasy, but it can be hard to explain why some kids get expensive gifts, while others are seemingly forgotten about. I love my kids, but I’m not about to go max out my credit card or take out a second mortgage to put on a show for social media.

Unlike Rudolph and his flying friends, compound interest is very much real. 

Also, why should Santa get all the credit for Christmas? You can’t just work one day a year and be the hero.  

Another dictate, though: If you don’t believe, you don’t receive. 

I’ve been told that and have passed the adage around myself. Even if you’ve moved on from belief in Santa, there’s no sense in being a stick in the mud and ruining it for someone else. It’s a little tongue in cheek, yes, but it’s never your place to burst someone else’s bubble. Some myths, like Santa, the Easter Bunny and a perfect credit score, are just meant to be left alone.  

But don’t let Santa overshadow the real reason for the season. At the end of the day, the jolly fat man is just a blip in the memory. Santa can never outshine the friends and family, who really make the holidays magical.  He may live forever in the minds of children around the world, but as for me, I’ll never forget helping my mother clean the house on Christmas Eve.