There could only be one contender at this time of year. Who else, but the jolly bearded-man in the red suit? The miracle of Santa Claus is not that he does the equivalent of 250 laps of the globe on one night. Or that he can shimmy down chimneys despite being approximately 1,743 years old. It's that he still exists in an era when children are getting increasingly cynical and when they have the world at their fingertips in the form of an internet connection.
The recession brought a lot of sadness to people’s doors in recent years but the joyful anticipation shown by children on Christmas Eve will still gladden even the hardest of hearts. Their open-eyed wonder will bring a smile to the faces of the biggest sceptics. And in 100 years, Santa will still be working his magic. Leave out an extra mince pie for him this year. He deserves it.
