As a kid
My family celebrated Christmas
Every year
Even though I’m Jewish, my mom’s family is Atheist
So we did it for the tradition
And not much else
It’s always fun to make-believe
That good behavior will be rewarded with presents
As opposed to coal
I think, maybe, that I was always just excited
That someone who wasn’t obligated to
cared enough to watch what I was doing
Even if it was to judge me
Deep down, though
I knew he wasn’t real
I knew that making us go downstairs
And close our eyes
Was just a formality
To preserve the folly
As long as possible
There was no man in a red suit coming to reward us
Or shower us in gifts
Because we ate our vegetables and
Brushed our teeth and did our homework
I knew he was an incentive
Because if Santa ceased to exist the moment a child laid eyes on him
Wouldn’t he already be gone?