Do you believe in Santa Claus? Was it Santa who delivered
your gift on Christmas day? Dose Santa come to the Bahamas? We do not have
many chimneys in the Bahamas, hence, Santa would not have his traditional way
of entering the homes while the children are sleeping.
Based on my research, if Santa is real here are some
logical points and mathematical figures that would cause us to think a second
time. First, there are some basic assumptions: (1) Santa delivers no gifts to
naughty children. This would reduce the figure greatly. There is a tradition
in some areas of the world that a naughty child receives a lump of coal. (2)
Only one Santa distributes all of the gifts. Multiple Santas would make
it easier but the legend has it that there is only one Santa. (3) The
percentage of households in which there is at least one child who has not been
naughty, but was nice, is 90%. According to calculations, Santa would
deliverers 677 million gifts on Christmas morning. (4) Santa loads all of the
presents before starting his journey. i.e. he does not return to the North
Pole periodically to reload. How would Santa take all those gifts on one trip
around the world?
- THE FACTS
- It is said that Santa takes his 677 million gifts on Christmas
morning. If every toy averages two pounds, the sleigh would have to
carry about one billion pounds or 500,000 tons of cargo for the
children. The payload would occupy a space of 100 million cubic feet.
Santa would visit perhaps 1,000 homes per second.
The
average speed of the sleigh would be on the order of 3.6 million miles
an hour. This would be a sufficient speed to allow travel to the moon in
about four minutes, except that the reindeer need a steady supply of
oxygen. The acceleration and deceleration loads on the reindeer, Santa
and the sleigh would be astronomical.
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- THE GIFT FOR BAD CONDUCT
-
It is certainly clear that Santa does not
exist. There is only One who can match and surpass these astronomical
calculations. That One is Jesus. According to tradition, Santa delivers
millions of gifts each year based good conduct. The truth is that only one
gift was delivered to earth two thousand years ago in Bethlehem of Judea.
This gift came in the form of Baby Jesus. This Gift was not based on good
conduct. Instead, it was based on bad conduct. This Gift was sent to all
humans because we lost connection with the Gift Giver, the Heavenly
Father. We behaved badly and lost the skill how to talk to the Gift Giver.
This One Gift transforms lives. While Santa’s gifts bring short-term
satisfaction, the Greatest Gift brings eternal joy and peace. Although
Christmas is passed, it is not too late to be reminded that there is a Gift
waiting at your door today. That Gift is Jesus. When our families experience
this Gift, there will be transformation of hearts, minds, and lives. We will
have a better Bahamas. This Gift is outside your door right now.
Barrington H. Brennen, MA, NCP, BCCP, a
marriage and family therapist and board certified clinical
psychotherapist, USA. Send your questions or comments to
question@soencouragement.org or write to P.O. Box CB-11045 Nassau, The Bahamas, or
visit
www.soencouragement.org
or call 242-327-1980
