Santa Claus and The American Flag

Our flag and Santa Claus are, unquestionably, two of our most important and unique national symbols.  We have one of each in this house. 

Our Santa Claus is really old.  My parents gave him to me for my first Christmas!   Go ahead. Do the math.

Our flag is only about 14 years old.   A friend’s son gave it to us upon his return from a tour-of-duty in Afghanistan, where both he and our flag bravely represented our country.

Santa gaily and always shows up at Christmas; the flag is proudly and always flown on our national holidays. 

When not on duty, the two co-exist in their very own drawer.  Santa is placed, a sheet carefully wrapped around him, face up in the drawer.  The flag is folded, also carefully, as flags are meant to be, and tucked in next to Santa.

And there they rest until their next appointed appearances. 

Santa has come under some criticism in the last several years.  There are those who say he’s gotten too commercial.  He’s overdone.  Even trite.  And we all know of course, that according to certain rumors, there is no Santa Claus.

And now, there are murmurs, at least according to the news, that displaying the American flag in our yards, windows, bumper stickers, is a political statement.   So, we’re to be wary of that unless we choose to visibly declare our party affiliation.

And I have this to say about that. It doesn’t matter a whit to me what others think about the flag.  Or Santa.  In our house, both of those symbols will always show up when they’re supposed to and the world is welcome to think what it pleases.  Some things are just too all-American to be saddled with baggage of any sort.