The Tears of Santa Claus
Santa Tears!
By Bassem Matta
Headline: THE YEAR IS 2099. THE MISSION: DESTROY A LEGEND. ❄️🔥
The world’s superpowers have gathered in Zagazig, Egypt, for a chilling vote. The target? Santa Claus.
They called him a "monster." They called him a "source of fear." But as the thermal sensors began to melt the Great Ice Statue in Switzerland, the world wasn't ready for what happened next.
Can you destroy a myth without breaking the human heart?
📖 Read "The Tears of Santa Claus" — A futuristic tale of technology, global politics, and the one thing logic can't kill: Hope.
"Yes... The only solution is to completely destroy this character."
The German delegate shouted these words with typical firmness during a UN Security Council session held in Zagazig, Egypt, on December 20, 2099. The world was preparing for Christmas celebrations and the dawn of the 22nd century. He continued with stern resolve:
"This monster has become a source of terror for children worldwide... not to mention the skyrocketing rates of depression during the Christmas season."
The British delegate remarked coldly:
"Statistics show that over the last thirty years, psychological fear among children because of him has increased to 77%... reaching as high as 97% in some parts of Asia!"
The French delegate said with a faint smile:
"Our nation agrees with his destruction, though we believe it should be carried out in a... graceful manner."
The American delegate mocked him: "Do you imagine this to be a stroll through old Paris and the ancient Champs-Élysées?"
The French delegate fell silent in embarrassment, while the Russian delegate interjected sharply:
"Old Paris is better than New York, which collapsed in the earthquake of 2067—the one that toppled the Statue of Liberty."
A murmur rippled through the hall. The Council President, the Japanese delegate, spoke politely:
"Order, please, gentlemen. Let us listen to the statement from the delegate of Egypt."
The Egyptian delegate began:
"You wish to destroy a character that symbolizes a saint, Bishop Nicholas. We do not deny that children across the globe fear him—his massive size, his long beard, his peculiar clothes—especially since they realize he is a fictional figure and that it is parents, not him, who bring gifts. However, we propose reintroducing this character to the world in a new way."
An angry murmur filled the room. The Japanese delegate asked:
"Those in favor of destroying the character, please raise your hands."
Every hand went up except for the Egyptian delegates’. This was the signal to begin the operation... The destruction of Santa Claus.
A massive ice statue of Santa Claus stood atop a high ridge in Switzerland. It had been designed with complex technology to be composed entirely of ice, except for the gift sack, which was made of empty cloth to symbolize that Santa possessed nothing. Hidden within the statue were microscopic thermal sensors, invisible to the naked eye, ready to emit enough heat to melt the statue in a symbolic act of destruction.
Satellites broadcast the event globally, and giant screens were erected in every city square without exception. The countdown began:
3... 2... 1... Zero.
The thermal sensors began to emit heat. The statue started melting in a specific, gradual manner from the bottom up. At first, the world felt a sense of exhilaration as it watched the legendary figure with his famous smile begin to fade. But...
As time passed and the heat approached Santa’s head, something deep within the human soul began to stir. Santa’s smile remained fixed until the very end. Due to the heat, a single drop of water rolled down from his eye... looking exactly like a tear on a smiling face. The sack fell from his shoulder, and the statue collapsed.
At that moment, the entire world erupted in tears—including the children.
The end of Santa Claus was so profoundly moving that it produced the exact opposite of the intended effect. Emergency calls flooded the Security Council as it sought to save the situation. Immediately, the Egyptian delegate announced that what had happened was merely a "prank" and that Santa Claus would remain.
He promised that humanity would never have to see his tears ever again.
The Tears of Santa Claus!
