The snow drifted down from the sky as Santa Claus sat, devastated, for not one student of Hawthorne High School had written him a letter for Christmas. Was he truly starting to lose a place in the children’s hearts, or had their childhood been cut short by parents with easily recognizable handwriting and presents hidden in overly obvious places, such as bedroom closets? Maybe the real question we all need to ask is this: “Does the realization that Santa Claus no longer exists and does not deliver presents under the tree kill the joy of the holidays?” Here’s how some of the students and faculty at HHS answer this philosophical question.

Some HHS students have not lost their excitement for the season even though they no longer write Santa letters. Scott Miele, a HHS sophomore, says, “I go shopping with my mom now; it’s much easier since I know what I want.”  When asked how he found out about the fact that Santa does not truly exist he answered saying, “I found all the presents in my mom’s closet.” Talia Firenze, also a sophomore, has never been big believer; she states that the gifts have always had a note saying, “From Mom and Dad.” She also added that “now I can actually order my presents from the Internet.” Sophomore, Abigail Provencher, stated, “I realized over time, so I was not really let down. I still keep the spirit going, get exited during Christmas, and my family still says that Santa is going to come, even if we know he does not exist.” Kali DeHaan, teacher at HHS, did not quite care about the reality of Santa, as long as the presents kept coming.

Others say the loss of Santa did affect their joy and how they celebrate their holiday. Annie Weisz and Evian Dorta, HHS sophomores, both claim that they were quite devastated by the realization even though over time they got over the fact. “I stayed mad for a  couple of weeks after my parents told me,” Dorta admitted.

None of the Hawthorne High School students interviewed believe in Santa any longer, but the legend is still important to many of them and their families. Some students still hold the “truth” for their younger siblings and relatives. Eventually, everyone who celebrates Christmas learns the “truth” about Santa, and then some go on to hold the memory of him in their hearts to share the joy of the season with others.