Santa Claus: Body Positive Icon?

For all you know, Santa is perfectly healthy and well. He spends his whole year in the North Pole managing the elves and preparing for Christmas. Then, on Christmas Eve, he sets out to distribute his presents throughout the world.

You adore Santa. You have received gifts from Santa and think he’s such a generous man. It’s Christmas Eve and are expecting gifts tomorrow morning, considering how “good” you have tried to be this whole year. Well, it is time to put out the cookies to show gratitude for Santa. However, you’re low-carb and you don’t want any cookies in the house because you’re afraid that you will eat them. Instead, you put out a spread of celery and carrots with low-fat ranch dressing.

You head to bed, but keep tossing and turning. You can’t fall asleep! You’re so excited about the gifts tomorrow. Santa always has the best surprises for you. That’s when you hear a thump in the living room. Could it be? Santa’s down the chimney!

You tiptoe across the hall and down the stairs. He stands by the chimney, pulling present out a present from the big red sack. The wrapping paper shimmers even though the room is dark, except for the tree lights you left on. The bow on the present looks perfectly tied. How does he get every detail just right?!

You don’t want to disturb him, but you can’t help yourself. “Merry Christmas, Santa,” you murmur. He whips around.

“Oh, ho, ho, ho, you startled me, Bambi,” he grabs his chest. “Almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Wow, you really know my name!”

“Of course, I do,” Santa smiles warmly. “I must be going now. Merry Christmas!”

'“Oh, Santa, before you leave, I left you some snacks.”

He beams. “Well, I suppose I could take a snack break. Your neighbors have been very naughty and it’s a long trek to the next name on my list.”

You hurry over to the coffee table on the other side of the tree and present Santa with the vegetable spread.

He looks unimpressed, but smiles nonetheless. “Thank you, Bambi, but I thought you had some cookies and milk for me.”

“I’m actually low-carb this year. I’ve already lost eight pounds in two months. You should try it! I don’t eat anything that has sugar, gluten, and oil and I feel better than ever. This ranch is low-fat and is made with all artificial sweeteners. It tastes even better than the real thing.”

He pats your shoulder. “That’s very considerate of you, Bambi.” He takes some carrots and drops it in his coat pocket. “I’ll take these for the road. The reindeer are very fond of carrots.”

“The reindeer?! No, Santa, these are for you! You should eat them. All that weight is not healthy for you. You could lose weight and probably circumnavigate the globe in half the time. Plus, sliding down chimneys would be a breeze if you slimmed down.”

He shakes his head. “Bambi, I appreciate your concern for me, but I reach all the houses I need to. When I don’t fit through a chimney, I find another way. I like my big belly and the way it shakes when I laugh. Many children recognize me by my belly. It also keeps me warm on freezing cold nights like this when I’m out on my sleigh.”

You can’t let it go. Santa is not hearing you out. “But, Santa, you’re going to get diabetes and heart disease and die young. Don’t you realize how unhealthy your lifestyle is? And, you consider yourself to be a role model to children all over the world? You are promoting obesity! You shouldn’t eat so many cookies. Sugar is addictive. I read about it in the news. You’re basically digging yourself an early grave. Then, what will become of Christmas?”

Santa tilts his head as he looks into your eyes. “Bambi, what’s happened to you, little one? You used to bake me fresh chocolate chip cookies and leave out a cup of whole milk. You even put the milk over ice in case it went bad. You used to ask for a gingerbread house and silly knit sweaters on your list. But, this year, you asked for the Ab-Breaker 3000 and a food scale.”

“Santa, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m on a health journey. My friends said that I was having trouble dating because I was too heavy, so I started losing weight. I’m doing a lot better now. I get more attention and I wear nicer clothes.”

Santa shrugs. “Well, this is all out of my wheelhouse, Bambi. But, I’ll tell you this much. Every year, since you were a little girl, you made my nice list. You treat others with kindness and respect. You do good deeds even when no one is looking. You listen to others when you disagree with them. Up in the North Pole, that makes you a special kind of wonderful. That’s why I came all the way here tonight.”

“That’s sweet of you to say, Santa, but you don’t get it. No offense. Things aren’t like that outside the North Pole. People don’t care about whether I’m kind. They care about whether I’m hot. And, I’m not hot enough, but I could be if I lose some more weight.”

Santa shifts around his bag of presents. “Maybe so, Bambi. But, remember, you’re not the only one I visit tonight. I have millions of more presents for millions of people who treat others with kindness and respect, do good deeds when nobody else is looking, and listen to others even when they disagree. There are many people who are a special kind of wonderful just like you, Bambi. I hope that in your search for something better, you don’t forget what is already good about you.” And, before you could say another word, he scrambles into the chimney and up he goes. Another thump on the rooftop, the reindeers springing into action.

You sit down and dip some celery into the low-fat ranch. The crunch of the celery breaking the silence. It really don’t taste like the real thing, you realize.

You wonder if Santa really gave you what you asked for. He didn’t seem so keen on the Ab-Breaker even thought that was top of your list. You should wait, but you’re already awake. You sit on the floor and reach for the present he left you. It seems way too small to be the Ab-Breaker. Maybe, it’s the food scale. You shake it. It’s light.

You delicately peel the bow and rip open the paper. There’s a notebook. You didn’t ask for this! The cover is white, the pages are white. It is so simple, so ordinary. This sucks, you sigh. As you flip open the cover, you see the inscription: What makes paper special are the words you write on it, the drawings you doddle, the airplanes you fold. What makes you special are the hopes you harbor, the dreams you imagine, and the warmth you spread. Merry Christmas.