The December air is chill. The woollens are out. The trees are lit. Hotel rooms are all booked. Children are at home. Bright stars adorn houses. A ring of festive cheer pervades all through.

Busy intersections and signals have seen many things being sold from porn magazines to stolen sunglasses, to waste paper baskets to the latest magazine in town. This festive season, it was Santa’s headgear.

Santa brings happiness and cheer to the lives of many children across the world. He brings hope of a better tomorrow. By being a benign human, who lives somewhere. I guess for the children of the modern age, that is an important ingredient, for they live in uncertain & cut-throat times.

It is indeed ironic that the very Santa who brings cheer to many a life, couldnt put a smile on kids who sell his headgear in the intersections of Bangalore’s MG Road. As i clicked the photograph, and had all the intentions of buying a few, just to put a smile on the kids face, the lights turned green. The honks behind grew louder, we had to move on. I realised that i missed being Santa to a child.

This festive season, have you thought about being Santa to someone? I realise that we dont have to spend half our fortune doing that. Perhaps a smile some where. How about ‘time’. Some Touch / Feel ? Maybe these things can make us a more benign Santa. One heck of a Santa !

Merry Christmas ! This season, May Santa come calling. In our forms. Soon.