It has been strange not having our usual mass of Santa meet and greets to share online and on these pages. Most years, from Wiscasset Community Center to other venues, Santa really gets around, meeting with area children to take their wishes and pose with them for family photos. 

One of my favorite Christmas specials growing up was “The year without a Santa Claus,” in part due to the highly entertaining Heat Miser and Snow Miser sibling characters. Were they portending climate change? But the central theme of the 1974 classic was the message Santa is still needed. And he is, certainly in 2020. 

So where is he? Local events have not gone on, or have gone on without him. Social distancing and Santa were not exactly made for each other. And, at centuries old, he is in the high risk category for getting ill or worse from COVID-19, so he must take care. But we know, he is not really gone. Like the New York newspaper The Sun opined in its famed 1897 editorial, he exists even if unseen.

The spirit of giving that Santa’s costume, ho, ho, ho, sack and sleigh usually get to represent, are all around, from St. Philip’s Help Yourself Shelf, to Lincoln County Toys for Tots, towns’ giving trees and more. Online, TV and old photos may be about Santa’s only appearances this year, thankfully almost over. But we can have hope for celebrations and other events to return, Santa included, next holiday season.