We're destroying Santa's Toy Shop

In an age where money means almost everything and status nearly that, what have we wrought on our future generations?

In a time when virtual prurient political pursuits by candidates and office holders profess to serve the people and wind up only serving themselves, where are our children and what role do they play in this ploy?

How will our children discriminate between the transience of oncoming, sprawling political campaigns and the onset of an eternal but changing Christmas with all its spiritual impact? Or are we now captive to man-made diverting, inertial forces that won't be deterred?

For more than two decades we have carefully conducted an acidic debate concerning global warming while, as recent data has shown, polar ice caps are melting leaving no landmass at the top of the world and a vanishing frozen landscape at the bottom.

Santa Claus is now in jeopardy! His Toy Shop might disappear forever. Plausibly, since there will be no North Pole, how will we tell our children where he builds all the wondrous things for girls and boys he's delivered over the centuries? Does this mean the end of the life and legend of St. Nicholas?

You say there's no Santa Claus? When did you leave your inspirational, surreal realm of childhood when a stirring imagination meant more than anything else? But sadly we will have done our work when the Tooth Fairy, Easter Rabbit, and the Sand Man because of us, too soon are laid aside and forgotten.

Is this the reality ahead or does it mean we still have time to change the future? Will we be so inspired to sacrifice and do the hard work that needs to be done?

Santa must live on! For the children's sake and for ours.

James D. Cook

Streamwood