Christmas gifts celebrities would give if they were Santa for a day

Santa Claus is one of the most well-loved Christmas figures in the world. Who wouldn’t love this jolly and stocky, white-bearded old man garbed in the red and white outfit of coat, trousers, and hat?

From the North Pole, Santa sneaks into the house through the chimney carrying a large sack full of presents for kids on Christmas Eve. With the help of his flying reindeer led by Rudolph, he flies into the night sky on his sleigh to deliver gifts.

The story is retold a million times over yet this magical tale never fails to delight both the young and young at heart. But did you know that the legend of Santa Claus dates back hundreds of years to a bishop named Saint Nicholas?

He was known as a secret gift-giver who once saved three poor sisters from being sold into the clutches of slavery. Saint Nick stealthily gave their father dowries so they could get married.

The image of Santa Claus can be seen in children’s books, movies, television shows, poems, and songs. Just take a stroll inside the mall and you will find Santa happily greeting people and posing for photos with little ones and adults.

As Christmas fast approaches, I am reminded of “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” a famous line from an editorial written by Francis Pharcellus Church titled Is There a Santa Claus?

This was in response to a letter sent by an eight-year-old girl named Virginia O’Hanlon who inquired if there was a Santa Claus. The editorial was first published in The Sun on Sept. 21, 1897.

Doug and Cheska Kramer.

Part of the editorial reads, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence… Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world... Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”

In this season of sharing, I asked some celebrities if they could play Santa Claus to someone special, what Christmas present would they give to this person and why. Here are their answers:

Tintin Bersola-Babao: “One lang ba talaga na Someone Special? I have many! But okay if only one talaga. Of course, it would be my hubby, Julius. What present? Something that would remind him of his childhood! This is tough for Santa because I wish that Santa would find Julius’ sketch pad containing all his sketches as a young boy which, unfortunately, was destroyed during a flooding inside their home in Pangasinan. It’s just a wish if magic could happen.”

Sitti Navarro: “I’d give my husband (Joey Ramirez) a Porsche because that’s all he ever talks about.”

Doug and Cheska Kramer: “Christmas and New Year are times for families to get together and spend undivided attention with each other. What better way to do this than sharing a very special meal. A simple noche buena. We would provide feasts to as much families as we could. On top of that, gift-giving would include a daily devotional for 2024 and a Bible. The person? No one specific. Be a blessing to our family members and the people around us.”

Patrick Garcia: “If I were Santa Claus, I would give my wife (Nikka Martinez) anything her heart desires because she deserves it.”

Sherilyn Reyes-Tan: “If I were Santa, I would give my husband (Chris Tan) at least one year of my undivided time. We have been together for 22 years and sacrificed his dreams for mine so that we can still spend time together even when I am busy. He drives me to work, picks me up, traveling for work, he also accompanies me. Adjusted his job and business so he can work wherever he is and that is wherever I am most of the time. He said his purpose is to be with me and to guide our kids and that is his ultimate joy.”

There is indeed a Santa Claus, and he resides in the hearts of each one of us. May the joy of gift-giving bring us abundant love and happiness. Ho, ho, ho! A Blessed Merry Christmas to everyone!