I’m Santa Dad: Batman Day 2021

I’m Santa DAd

Batman and me.  Me and Batman.  It’s a relationship, more like a love affair, that really bloomed later in my life.  I’ve loved the Dark Knight since I was a teenager, but I’ve really gotten close to the iconic figure in the cape and cowl in my 40s.  It’s around this age you hear talk of folks experiencing a mid-life crisis, which would be really funny in this context.  I was talking with Mrs. Santa Dad the other day and mentioned that if that’s what’s going on with me, this has to be the coolest mid-life crisis in the history of man.  

During this same period of my story, I have fully embraced my parallel persona as the Santa Dad.  During 2020, the year that just wouldn’t quit delivering devastating and painful blow after devastating and painful blow to so many, I felt like the world needed a few more smiles and a bit more focus on the good things in life.  So, I decided I wanted to do my part and attempt to bring a little more happy into the world by celebrating something I really enjoy.  Christmas.  All things Christmas.  This idea was fully realized when it manifested itself as what we know today as Santa Dad.   The rest is history. 

As my enjoyment of these two things continually blended and bled into every facet of my life, I eventually started to see these two characters more clearly.  I have long identified with Batman on many levels, but as a man living in the world in 2021 this connection seemed to grow even stronger.  As I thought about my life as the Santa Dad I began to see not so subtle influences of the Dark Knight on my smiling and happy parallel persona.  As his best self, Santa Dad is much more than a silly character that loves Christmas.  He is a metaphor for everyone that never misses a chance to ‘Make special happen’, celebrating all things Christmas, family, and fatherhood 365 days a year.  

When I thought about Santa Dad like that, I thought it made perfect sense.  I am the Santa Dad, but the idea that I represent is much more, much greater than one man.  Like the Bat, Santa Dad is a symbol.  In this case, a symbol of commitment, trust, dependability, character, and dedication.  That’s what love looks like.  That is family.  Anyone that loves their family and will do whatever it takes to make them feel safe and loved, special and seen, important and heard … that person is Santa Dad too.  A single mom or dad, a blended family, a modern family that looks somehow different than the traditional arrangement, a friend or group of friends that know and understand there is more than blood that makes family.

So why am I sharing this?  Why is now the perfect time to have a little fun and fully and publicly embrace my persona as Santa Dad?   Because Saturday September 18th, 2021 is Batman Day and like Batman, this is who I was always destined to become.  My origin story is a little different than the Dark Knight, but it still tracks.  When I was a child, I saw up close what it means to help others and to my younger self, those people I witnessed doing all they could to help others became heroes, and not one of them accomplished the good deed in the same manner.  And that is my goal, to help others.  To make them smile, lift their spirits, and offer them hope when the world seems dark and rough.  Does that make me a super hero?  No.  But at the same time, if my particular set of skills allows me to offer a helping hand, to show someone a little compassion, and be there in a moment someone needs a little help, that is what I hope to do.  Does being a super hero mean you are someone that shows up, stands up, and speaks up?  Someone that will never give up?  Someone that will fight for a loved one that isn’t able to fight for themselves?  If the answer is yes, and that makes me or anyone else a super hero in the eyes of the person in need in that moment, then so be it.  I want to be the very best dad, father, husband, and citizen I can be.  I am so grateful that I have the ability to spread happiness and even hope to others in the process.  If that makes Santa Dad a super hero then it is proof positive that old notion is true, literally anyone can be a super hero.  Me.  You.  Anyone.