Oh Father

Christmas is upon us and once again masking has been gifted to us by our protective leaders. Doesn't it feel wonderful to be cared for? Christmas is the time for giving after all, and it wouldn't be the same if we didn't receive at least one gift that we didn't want or need.

The return of the mask got me thinking back to how exciting Christmas used to be as a child. The anticipation of what Santa would bestow upon us made for restless nights. Each year I would lay in bed willing myself to stay awake, hoping to hear the jingling bells from Santa's sleigh so that I could sneak out and catch a glimpse of the mysterious Father Christmas, but the eagerness was always met with exhaustion, so the encounter never occurred.

The magic of it all was so magnetic for me as a child, it would often keep me in check, wondering just how Santa could possibly know which of all the children across the entire world were naughty or nice, was awe inspiring, but how one man could deliver all children their gifts in a single night was almost too much to grasp.

However, the thing with children is they do tend to develop a great BS filter pretty early on and that was certainly true for me. I cottoned on when I started asking questions in front of my younger siblings. When Mum pulled me aside and told me the truth, it was to keep the fantasy alive for the others, so I was sworn to secrecy.

This Christmas I'm reminded of just how compelling a lie can be, to keep us toeing the line. And how asking questions can get you in trouble, like, "Did Omicron arrive via Santa's sleigh?", or "Are the booster shots boosting our immunity, or corporate profits?".

Father Christmas is not just the stolen identity of Saint Nicholas to be used for marketing, he is also a reinforcement of a patriarchal society, and herein lies the true gift. Understanding the underpinnings of a political system that has been built on a lie. A deception designed to control and dominate.

The challenge for parents was always how to keep evading the truth about Santa. When the lie is so fantastical and void of logic and reason, it inevitably becomes exposed. The same is true for the outdated top-down political system that is more about ruling with authority, control, dominance and greed, utilising medical rape and violence to hold on to power.

This system has pulled out all stops to halt the developing, questioning mind, but as their vice-like attempts to hold onto control place their lies under the microscope, the quicker their narrative unravels. Now we realise we have been duped, but instead of keeping childhood fantasies like Santa alive, maintaining this has come to an expiration.

With yet another Covid Christmas upon us, the best gift we can offer if we truly care for each other, is to remove the mask and start being honest with each other. I know it feels wonderful to be cared for, but it's a lie.

Ask the questions that desperately need to be answered and instead of blindly believing the fantasy because it feels good to think we're being looked after, park the sleigh and find the truth in ourselves, because if we keep politely accepting the gifts we don't want now, what is installed for our children early next year may leave us eternally regretful.