It is really happening now. December and with it, Christmas.

And as Kyle taught us so many years ago, the real meaning of Christmas is presents. At this point in my life, the shine is a bit off the presents. I feel a heavy sense of what I must give to other people. What do I want? I don’t know.

My daughter doesn’t have that problem. She is sure she needs more diamonds and jewels, because she doesn’t have very many of those.  She puts no restraint on her hopes.

Fantastic, right? I don’t wish for diamonds.

I feel like I must wish from the menu. Here is what I need. Here’s what I can afford. Here is what I have time for.  Here are the things I’ve tried before and know I like.  I suffer from a poverty of imagination.

It seems at this point in my life I am pretty much the only one who is going to be giving me presents. If I hope for something, it is up to me to make it come true. And is it worth the effort?

My daughter knows that her hopes are going to be fulfilled by many kind souls. Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and even Santa will be stepping in.

I don’t believe in Santa. My husband asks me early every year what I want as presents. And I moan and complain about how hard it is to think of things.

What is it I want? What do I really want?

A fabulous transcendentalist author, Margaret Fuller wrote this: “That which has once been clearly conceived in the intelligence cannot fail, sooner or later, to be acted out.”

Seems true to me. If I knew what I really wanted, I could go after it with more clarity.

Where is Santa in all this? Is there a Santa Claus? Anyone? Virginia? Anyone?

For little girls and little boys, there is a network of Santa Clauses making their wishes come true. And for grownups, if we hope and let the wish be known there is still a whole network of goodwill that will be our Santa too.

It’s okay to custom order a wish, or step completely off the current menu or choices. The stars can align and create a miracle.

I wish for all of use to give and receive wish miracles this season, and always.