All this work with no time for vacation sometimes can get a little draining on this old and cheery fellow. In fact, one year not so long ago, Santa was feeling overworked, depressed and even a little cranky.

The air was just starting to get that crisp chill that means that Christmas is just around the corner. Santa sat at the table one morning with Mrs. Claus.

“You know,” she said, “it’s been a long time since you have been to Porterville and from what I hear the children there are starting to say that there is no Santa at all.”

“That’s nonsense,” he replied. “I bring them their gifts every year. How dare they say that!  Those greedy children only want gifts. Don’t they know I’m Santa Claus and they had better not tempt me? I’m sick of working all the time for those ungrateful children. I should just cancel Christmas this year.”

“Now, now. Calm down Santa. That isn’t what I meant at all. The children love you. They just need a little Christmas magic to remember what they have always known. Your sleigh is packed and ready. Go spread some Christmas cheer,” Mrs. Claus patiently replied.

Santa angrily piled into his sleigh and prepared for his journey. What did she know? Everyone was always bossing him around. Didn’t they know he was Santa Claus? Little did Santa know, Mrs. Claus had used a little of her Christmas magic to make Santa a special new suit.

When the sleigh touched down, Santa started walking the snow lined streets. Children everywhere started tugging at their parents jackets. “It’s Santa! It’s Santa” rang out through the streets. Grouchy Santa couldn’t even crack a smile. It wasn’t fair. He shouldn’t be out in the cold. He would much rather be home sipping cocoa and watching sports.

A little boy came up to Santa excitedly and said, “This year I want a remote control car. I would really like it to be red and to go fast and to…”

“Stop your whining,” Santa angrily exclaimed. “You’ll get what I give you and you had better appreciate it. After all, I’m Santa and I am never wrong.”

The boy ran off crying. All of a sudden Santa heard snickering and felt a cool breeze. He looked down. His suit had gone missing. It had disappeared right off of him. Embarrassed he ran behind a tree and hid. “Don’t they know I’m Santa?” he thought. “How dare they laugh at me.”

Then he realized that without his suit, he looked like anyone else. He waited until dark and set out hunting for his missing clothes.

After a few cold and embarrassing hours of searching, Santa finally found his suit. It was folded in his sleigh with a little note from Mrs. Claus. The note read, “Kindness is who you are not the clothes you wear.”

“What does she know? I bet she thinks this is funny. Let’s see if I get Mrs. Claus a Christmas gift this year.”  Santa angrily pulled his suit back on and sulked in his sleigh until morning.

The next day Santa had agreed to spend the morning working at the mall at the Santa booth. He hated working in that booth. It was boring and there were so many kids. Plus, everyone just thought he was another fake Santa pretending for the holidays and he never got the respect he deserved. This year was going to be different. Santa was ready and had every intention of showing those mall workers just who was boss.

As he walked over to the Christmas display, Santa looked down. His Santa suit was still there.  Breathed a sigh of relief as he walked up to the elf manning the entrance. She greeted him with a cheery smile and said, “Good morning Santa!”

“It is not a good morning,” he replied. “Go and get me a hot cocoa right now and a couple of cookies. I’m hungry.”

The elf looked at him quizzically.

“What are you waiting for? Cocoa, cookies NOW! Or are you too stupid to do your job? Don’t you know I’m Santa?”

All of a sudden the elf started to chuckle. “You can’t be Santa sir. After all doesn’t he wear a Santa suit? You’re only wearing underwear. Maybe you had better head home. And come back when you have your suit and a little Christmas cheer.”

Santa wrapped himself in a layer of fake snow and ran out of the mall as the laughter trailed behind him. What was happening? Why was did he keep loosing his Santa suit? As he walked back to his sleigh, he wondered just what Mrs. Claus was trying to do.

When he got to the sleigh, once again his suit was neatly folded on the seat. This time the note read, “People love you for who you are not what you do.” He angrily balled up the note and got in his sleigh. She didn’t know what she was talking about.

As Santa sat his anger turned to confusion.

“Everyone is supposed to love me. I’m Santa. I bring happiness and joy to children across the world. What is happening?”

Suddenly, scenes from the past few months started to fill his mind. He remembered snapping at Mrs. Claus when his cookies were overcooked. He thought of the time he snapped at an elf when the reindeer got out. There was also the time he tore up a pile of letters to Santa. And many more moments of anger. Christmas used to be fun and he used to love making children happy. The realization hit Santa that he did not like who he had become.

As the sleigh made its way back to the North Pole, Santa realized he needed to change. Sure, he was Santa, but he was also a person just like everyone else. Kindness was more important than his fuzzy red and white suit. That year, while Christmas was magical for everyone, it was Santa that was truly touched by a little Christmas magic.