The Santa Claus Contest: A Short Story.

It happened in a town, where the people decided to run a Santa Claus Contest; and men dressed as Santa Claus came from all the nearby places. Of course, in the stage the inevitable laugh: Ho Ho Ho could be heard. All the Santa Claus brought gifts for the persons who were present.

Well, the first Santa Claus appeared, he had a white beard, white hair, red suit, black boots, an sleigh and the reindeers. Many laughs and many gifts!

Then, quite a few Santa Claus presented themselves in this fashion, up to the point that the public had blisters in their hands because of so much clapping.

The judges were surprised and happy because they had received big laughs and many gifts through the whole day and night. And in fact, a few minutes before twelve midnight, there were no more Santa Claus left and the judges began to choose the best, by debating the intonation of the laugh, their elegance, the price of the gifts and whether they brought exclusive gifts.

Then, the clock stroke twelve midnight and at that moment, a man came down the chimney. When he saw the public, he laughed Ho Ho Ho. He seemed a little tired and was wearing a worn out suit.
He approached each person to greet them and called them by their names. But not by the names that they were known but by the nicknames that they had as children. And in this way, he was delivering simple gifts and he even went to the judges and gave a gift to each one; and then still laughing, he disappeared in the air.

Then, the public and the judges began opening their gifts, which were simple, natural but nothing electronic. There were balls, dolls, wooden dolls, a simple car. But something wonderful happened. The expensive and sophisticated gifts were left aside and they began saying: ” This is what I had wanted for so many years.”

That Santa Claus had given them what they had wanted as children. Then, they all understood that what is important is neither the cost of the gift nor how exclusive it may be.
What is important is the affection. They cried and laughed; laughed and cried; and found out that there is only one true Santa Claus, who is the one of , Sincere Love.