Opening Doorz

By Martin D’Souza | Opening Doorz Editorial | December 23, 2016

We all grew up waiting for Santa to pass by our homes on Christmas Eve. The next morning, we woke up to a Stocking full of surprises; provided our list was out in advance and we were nice, not naughty! But then, one day, came the news that Santa was not for real. Arjun Mathur, Nauheed Cyrusi, Shreya Narayan, Amrita Arora and Preeti Jhangiani let us in on when their Santa bubble burst! As for the stockings, they invariably find their place somewhere beneath the star, near the Christmas Tree. 

Arjun Mathur
I think I learned that Santa was not real when I never got my flying car at age six. All my hopes were then pinned on the tooth fairy… We all know how that turned out, too! I don’t even own a pair of stockings (what are they and what exact purpose do they serve?) but whenever I feel I need a gift, I make sure to gift myself one!

Nauheed Cyrusi
For my sister and me, Christmas was always at Karjat at our uncle’s farmhouse, and every year we would wake up to little presents under our pillow. One night, we caught ‘Uncle’ Santa busy placing the gifts. He looked ridiculously thin to be Santa from the North Pole. That was that! The stockings flew out of the window along with every notion of Santa being real, although I’ve always lived in a magical world of my own. Santa will always be real to me in that world, along with pixies and unicorns!

Shreya Narayan
Those who have faith in God know that Santa exists, maybe not in the form of a red-dressed, reindeer-riding big ball of love, but in the form of people and news that bring happiness. I do not know when I came to know Santa was not real because I do not take any form as gods, goddesses or religious figures literally. For me, they all stand for something deep. To make it easier for human beings, we give them a human body and a name and weave stories around them. My stockings are always hanging on Christmas Eve, and magically, I always find something in them the next morning!

Amrita Arora
I may have learnt Santa was not real when I was maybe 10. Some kid in School burst that bubble for me. My mom then had a tough time explaining to me that she was not a liar! Yes, I want the tradition for my kids to continue. I keep stockings in their bed rooms and they wait anxiously to see what Santa has got them!

Preeti Jhangiani
I feel I always knew that Santa was not real! I was a very skeptical and questioning kid. That did not stop me from enjoying Christmas or expecting gifts. I’ve always loved  the Christmas spirit, the Carols and the joy of giving. No, I don’t keep my stocking out but my son Jaiveer definitely does have his stocking and list out this year and for the record he does believe that Santa is real! He is five years old. My younger son, Dev, is one year old so he doesn’t know anything as yet!