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Magic of Christmas

Friday, December 25, 2015


 Let's face it. There will always be the argument about keeping Christ in Christmas and for me that's where it started. I was raised Catholic so there were Posadas and rosaries and the cradling of the Baby Jesus at Christmas time. Santa was something I had heard of at school and as a Mexican in a white neighborhood I would hang a stocking but didn't hold out a lot of hope that the big guy would ever stop by my house on Christmas eve. And he didn't. Instead w...e filed into Southside Community Center like cattle on the days before Christmas and we were handed a voucher that we could then go spend on a gift at Perry's Department Store. But it was Christmas to me. The magic of Christmas really hit home when I had kids. I knew that it was up to me to bring Santa into our family. I watched my children's eyes light up while watching the Polar Express. They sat in awe as they watched the story of Santa unfold. They believed! It was so magical it took my breath away, that in the midst of their broken lives, leaving their families behind, they could still believe in the spirit of Christmas. It warmed my heart to listen to them make a phone call to the North Pole and one by one speak to Mrs Claus. So every year milk and cookies were left out for Santa. And for those who believed there was always one extra gift from the North Pole. Sure for me Christ is always present and He brought these wonderful sons into my life and for that I am truly grateful. But for abused and neglected children who lose that innocence so early in life and feel abandoned by God, they need Santa and the magic of the season to help them put faith and trust back into humankind, little by little. It's up to us as Fathers to lead the fight for these children and keep the magic of Christmas alive for a lifetime. God Bless every child forced to be away from their homes, who have to go through painful losses in order to get to a stable and loving family, who have to grieve those losses at every holiday..although we are no replacement for their original family we are here for what it's worth... Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.....