I believe in Santa. Yes, you heard me right. But before you call me crazy, hear me out.

The older I get, the more I realize that Santa isn’t just one man who brings me presents on Christmas. Santa is more than presents on Christmas morning. Santa is more than the guy sitting in a red suit in front of a Christmas tree at shopping malls across the country. Santa is more than Coca-Cola’s seasonal promotional campaign.

Despite what you may think, Santa was not always associated with the rampant commercialization of Christmas. The Santa we all know is based on Saint Nicholas who lived in what is now modern day Turkey around 280 A.D. Saint Nicholas inherited a large sum of money when his parents passed away, but instead of spending all of the money for his own pleasure, he gave away all of his inheritance and traveled the countryside to help the poor and the sick. Saint Nicholas was admired for his piety and kindness, and from 1200 to 1500 A.D., he was recognized as the universal bringer of gifts.

When I say I believe in Santa, I don’t mean that I believe in the jolly man in the red and white suit who flies around the world with magical reindeer on Christmas Eve. I stopped believing in that version of Santa many years ago, but there are many things associated with Santa that I still believe in: joy, happiness, magic, kindness, etc.

Christmas is one of my favorite seasons because the world comes alive and everyone seems happier and friendlier. The joy of the season seems to bring out the best in people, and I think that once December 26 rolls around, people seem to completely forget about the real reason for the season: kindness. There are countless, and simple, ways to make a world of difference in someone else’s life:

• Pay for the person behind you at the coffee shop or in the drive-thru
• Volunteer at a homeless shelter or a food bank
• Be compassionate for someone else’s situation
• Express gratitude for someone who has made a difference in your life
• Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while
• Smile and say “hi” to random people
• Donate books, clothes or other belongings you don’t use anymore

Kindness is not seasonal. Kindness’s impact will last until the end of time. Kindness, like Santa, is a part of all of us, whether we like it or not. Santa is so much more than a red and white suit, a white beard and a belly full of cookies and milk. Santa is the model of a compassionate life. Even if you’re nine or 99 years old, you’re never too young or old to live like Santa, and spread the joy of Christmas all year long.

I believe in childlike wonder and excitement. I believe in the genuine joy from helping others. I believe in the wisdom to think of others before yourself. I still believe there is good in the world, even if it seems like all hope is lost. I believe in the magic of Christmas. I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus.