  Fantasy
This week: Just Be Claus Edited by: Fyn-elf  
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Santa Claus is anyone who loves another
and seeks to make them happy; who gives
himself by thought or word or deed in every gift
that he bestows; who shares his joys with those
who are sad; whose hand is never closed against
the needy; whose arm is ever outstretched to aid
the week; whose sympathy is quick and genuine
in time of trouble; who recognizes a comrade
and brother in every man he meets upon life's
common road; who lives his life throughout
the entire year in the Christmas spirit.~EDWIN OSGOOD GROVER
They err who thinks Santa Claus comes down through the chimney; he really enters through the heart.~Paul M. Ell
Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.~Mary Ellen Chase
Christmas... that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance -- a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.~Augusta E. Rundel |
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To me, the spirit and magic of Christmas all began with a gift of love. Every culture and religion has some celebration involving this concept although it may be portrayed in very different methods.
For me, growing up in the United States, in a mixed Catholic and Protestant family, Christmas was equal parts the birth of Christ and Santa Claus.
I remember being taken to the North Pole in Lake George, NY one winter when I was three. It is one of my very first clear memories. I saw the reindeer pulling Santa's sled and I saw the reindeer fly. A bit of Christmas magic flew into my heart that day and has flourished ever since. No matter if with family or alone, by myself; stationed clear across the world from home, the magic sparkled. No matter if we rolled pennies to buy a Christmas Tree and wrapped cut out pictures of 'what we'd give others if we could' from a catalog, the magic shimmered.
There's a reason that every year the tree is the 'prettiest tree we've ever had!' In our family; it is Christmas magic. Pure and simple.
When my children were little, and times were tough, I'd Christmas shop all year long, buying something here, making something there as I could to be sure that Santa would come. From the plate full of cookies, to the carrots for the reindeer, across the living room floor, to the tree and inside the stockings and gifts from Santa, 'Christmas Magic would be sprinkled.
In reality, it was confetti and then when some intrepid soul created confetti in Christmas shapes, it became stars or trees or even hearts. To this day, with my mother long departed, I can hear her saying loudly, "Star Alert" as she'd come across a stray bit of Christmas Magic in June or September. It still makes me smile, makes her feel close. The magic still works.
When my youngest was ten, my mother wanted one last picture of her with Santa. Feeling far too 'grown-up' to want to do that, being embarrassed to be seen (at the vast age of ten) on Santa's knee, she was not happy. But she did it. When Santa asked her what she wanted him to bring, she whispered in his ear, then posed for the picture, and fled Santa's lap to go off with my mom in one directed while I headed in another.
Moments later, in the bookstore, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Santa. He asked me, "Do you know what purple Christmas Magic is? It is what your daughter said was all she wanted, and that if Santa was 'real,' there there'd be purple Christmas Magic on Christmas and that he was the only one who knew that."
We'd always had red or green or gold or silver. I'd never gotten purple magic before. I explained about the magic to Santa, who smiled broadly, thanked him profusely, and headed out to find Christmas Magic of a purple kind.
Christmas morning found a most surprised young lady squealing in sheer delight to see purple Christmas Magic everywhere!!! And to this day, I often still get a picture of my youngest with Santa!
We still spread Christmas Magic every year. We always will. Christmas magic, no matter if colored bits of confetti,or that feeling when when walking out of midnight mass singing 'Silent Night' and discovering that it is snowing, or even finding a stray star in mid-summer or rendering someone to dissolve in happy tears over a special gift, Christmas Magic is that glow deep inside of love and joy.
I have a sweatshirt that says, "I believe in Santa just beclaus." I still do and always will. All year long, every day. It really comes down to heart-gifts. Doing for others simply for the joy of seeing someone smile. Those smiles are some of the world's best gifts, wrapped in love and tied up with pretty ribbons of emotion.
Some Scrooges say this time of year is too commercialized and that people have forgotten the reason for the season. Sure, I expect some have and that if you choose to let it, than the commercialization can be overwhelming. BUT to them I say, bring out your inner child, dance in the snow, squeal over an unexpected surprise and keep Christmas in your heart all year through and then nothing else matters.
Writing is all in the details, the observations and then combining them with actions and manifestations of these into something magical. I receive comments from folks commenting that while they enjoy the 'stories' I tell in my newsletters, they don't always 'get' what it has to do with writing.
Writing is taking thoughts, memories, ideas we have, drawing from what we have experienced and re-wrapping them in new paper and present-ing it to readers as a poem, short story, novel or essay. Each writer is unique in their experiences, emotions and viewpoints. We use these to give our characters depth and well, character. Surely the above sparked a memory. I'm willing to bet you remembered or thought of some time in your past that you'd forgotten, and now got to remember and experience it all again. That is the magic of writing. Readers need to connect to our characters, regardless of whether it is fantasy, horror, romance or mystery. Writing is the art of spinning a fantasy world, inviting the readers in and gifting them with a satisfying read.
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Secret Santas are running all over writing.com spreading their Christmas Magic. These editor's picks are items picked by Secret Santas from the ports of those they are matched with!
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#1694085 by Not Available. |
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A tale from the mists, that came in the night, as someone seeks to find the light!
#1727771 by eyestar~*  |
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#1592897 by Not Available. |
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#1690586 by Not Available. |
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| It's been quite a while since I last guest-edited the fantasy newsletter, so I don't have feedback to offer. Instead I offer you a suggestion. Take a quiet moment and curl up by a roaring fire, or sit under a tree or watch the night sky and think back on some of your most treasured memories, special occasions and magic moments. Now think about how you can use these bits of magic to enhance your writing! You'll be glad you did! |
| ASIN: 0997970618 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 14.99
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Fantasy: December 14, 2010 Issue [#4134]
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