The Game Changing Secret I learned About Santa

By: Stuart Knight (Founder and CEO) | December 23, 2025

For many years, I’ve been lying to my children, and I’m pretty sure that you are most likely aware of the lie I’m talking about.  You might have even told it yourself.  No, it’s not the one about how the world came to be, or the deception about the transactional exchanges between fairies and loose teeth.  I’m talking about that really big lie we tell about the big man in the big red suit doing backflips through chimneys. Ironically, working in the “creative” field for decades has equipped me in whipping up quite a tale, which is handy, but sadly it’s also landed me in a bit of a bind.

The bind being that throughout my kids lives, I’ve smugly been able to position myself as the smartest person on the planet, which is not a difficult task since knowing the answer to the majority of their questions requires that I made it past grade nine.  And if I’m to be completely honest, I have taken great pleasure in being able to blow their minds at my Mensa level intellect in being able to explain the basics of photosynthesis, how a baby is born and why we fart.  

However, as my children approach the age of learning the truth from some kid who can’t keep a secret, I find myself in the potential situation of being discovered as a fraud, and I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I’m somewhat terrified.  I realize that many would say this is overreactive, and that I’m sensationalizing a typical coming of age that all children must endure, but to those people I respectfully disagree.  I say that because I remember my own moment of finding out that Santa wasn’t real, and it was traumatic. 

It was in the heat of the summer, and I was playing outside with my regular crew of boys, many of whom were older.  I can’t remember how the conversation got there, but one of them mockingly blurted out that Santa wasn’t real.  I darted into the house and began to berate my mother hoping she would refute this obvious lie.  She happened to be cleaning the refrigerator, and for that reason, tried to deflect my interrogation by asking me to come back later.  However, my persistence annoyingly wore her down to the point where, frustrated, she said, “No, he’s not, now let me finish cleaning the fridge!”

I remember slinking back into that hot July afternoon, now completely uninterested in joining the frivolities of my friends, feeling somewhat devastated.  Not only had I learned that one of my superheroes was nothing more than a myth, but I simultaneously found myself swallowing the possibility that my parents couldn’t fully be trusted.  I mean yes, I knew they still loved me, but do they like me?  Is this what people who “like” each other do?  Do they string children along into believing one of the greatest, and most magical stories of all time, only to reveal that it isn’t true?  I’m pretty sure that falls into the category of poor parenting!

Alas, the roles have now been reversed, and like the abused child, I find myself potentially about to inflict the same damage.  For this reason, I decided to pre-emptively give deeper consideration to a conversation that I knew was coming any day now.  The big question I found myself asking is what I will say when my own child asks me this question.  For starters, I secretly prayed that I won’t find myself soaked in sweat, cleaning the refrigerator, and secondly, I wanted to have an answer that would soften the blow.  

So, I thought about it, and I journaled about it, and I talked about it looking for an answer.  Again, I know it might sound like I was getting a little too serious about this future scenario, but for me it really mattered.  I knew that far more than the truth about Santa was on the line, and I wanted to make sure I got it right.  After a great deal of thought, I had one of those moments that occur when I wrestle a query long enough for it to finally spit out the truth.  And to say that this emerging truth was profound is an understatement.  

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, I was hit with that proverbial “ton of bricks” waking me up to the exhilarating reality that Santa isn’t a fabrication, but is excitingly real!  Not just kind of real, or mythologically real, but undeniably and unequivocally real!  The moment I realized this to be the case, I felt a somewhat euphoric sense of relief, and ironically couldn’t wait for the chance to defy those rumours my children would soon be hearing on the playground.  

When that day arrives, I picture myself inviting them to come sit on my lap, as if mimicking the bearded badass himself, to reveal the truth that Santa is real, and those who say he isn’t just haven’t grasped it yet.   I will start by telling them that energy is tangible, and whether good or bad, the type of energy we choose to put out into the world manifests in kind.  If you put good energy out there, I truly trust that good energy will come back to you.  That good energy could come in the way of meeting the love of your life, landing a great job or being given an amazing opportunity.  However, if you were to name such things, could you not say these blessings are the gifts of life?

If that resonates with you, then would you not agree that Santa is real, and that his entire story is a beautifully symbolic representation of a truth that we often forget to acknowledge?  Do we not see this every day when we choose to be kind, loving and giving to the person serving us in the restaurant, cashing us out at the grocery store or to the one driving the bus?  When those people magically give you a free drink, compliment you on your jacket, or let you off a little closer to your house, are you not seeing that good energy returned?  Are the gifts you receive not the same gifts you’ve given, just wrapped in different ways?  And if that’s true, how can Santa not be real?

This realization left me feeling elated knowing I now have an explanation for my children when they ask the inevitable question about his existence.  When that happens, I can look them in the eyes, without fear of lying and say, “Yes baby, the essence of Santa is real, and we’ve been using his story to help you understand the exhilarating truth behind it.  Is there a man who flies in the sky with reindeer delivering gifts?  Of course not.  However, does the story represent an even greater reality of something that is happening on the planet every day?  Absolutely!”  

And I think that’s something to be merry about.

Much love,

Stuart

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