Seoul: a Christmas story (2025)

By Michael L. McManus

There once was a young boy, about 7 years old, give or take, as I remember. He came from one of those countries that speak English. He had a passion to work for Santa Claus as an intern, most preferably at Santa's Headquarters, North Pole. Somehow, he got that position, through the most magical of letters, back and forth. He told me they wanted over and over to learn why he wanted this opportunity so….

I asked him too. His eyes lit up and he showed an amazing energy…."because every boy and girl in this world depends on this so much…"

I said "why?" "Why do they depend on this one evening so much?"

I heard him murmur as he went busy with his writing "it not the gift they receive…it is the gift they give."

Then he fell asleep on a little bench marked for those helpers going with Santa to Far East Asia.

I watched and saw the cold winds sweep light snow over everyone there at that station.

Soon, Santa's sleigh was under way around the world. This young boy was warmly tucked away in the Sleigh marked Korea.

The winds swirled fiercely that night and yet when it was time to land in Korea, there was a light calm. The snow blew sideways creating a veil of white.

Somewhere south of Gangnam, the sleigh first came down. It was almost 3 a.m. on Christmas Morning.

The young intern knew his job and sprang into action. Santa sent him on some incredible missions, over rooftops, down stairs and walkways, all to deliver little presents, sometimes just little messages written on paper.

One special mission was to visit the Blue House. There was a nice white dusting of fine snow on the roof of the Blue House, so the Sleigh and its reindeer only left behind a slight track in the fresh fallen snow.

Another special visit was to the churches all over Seoul and Korea to spread Christmas greetings of Cheer and Joy.

There were people working late shifts, sweeping out dirty places, and cleaning for the next day. Santa and the little intern made their visit. Sometimes the visit was so quiet that the visited did not even know what was happening. Santa whispered to the intern that this is the way it is supposed to be….only those who believe can see him.

Then the sleigh swung far over the coastlines to deliver special gifts to the fishermen on this night….it was for them especially cold and damp and lonely. Then over to Incheon Airport to make a grand sweep showering glitter so all the pilots knew that Santa had come by and wished them safe journeys everywhere….

Oh, Santa made a big U-turn and flew straight back to the heart of downtown Seoul. He almost forgot a most important believer. This young child was alone in his bed and half asleep awaiting something of a signal about Santa. He wanted to disprove Santa, so he had stayed up all night. His grandmother was downstairs sleeping and caring for him. You see his parents were not there and did not care. This young man thought maybe if there was a Santa, it was his only chance of believing.

There was a bold knock on the door. The Grandma opened it and saw Santa standing in full view. Where are the cookies? Santa said. Swiftly, Santa and his intern sat down and had what seemed to be an endless story telling time with this young boy and his Grandma. The cookies were fresh chocolate, still warm and so soft.

It was Santa's time to go. He kissed this boy on his forehead and swiftly left with his intern, onto the sleigh.

Time to serve the rest of this beautiful Korea, said Santa. The sleigh swooped up and over roofs and flew to the south…..

The intern that night worked harder than he ever imagined. He wanted to stop at every family.

He wanted to talk to every child about his or her hopes and dreams….

Later in the sleigh, on the way back to the North Pole, he asked Santa, can we go back to Korea again and see these friends? Santa smiled and nodded. The intern asked, what can I do to be like this everywhere and every year at Christmas?

"Be like this year, my friend, believe in what you saw, and you will see it again and again. Someday, maybe when you have children, you will see it just the same…."

Santa smiled…..it was a smile that lasts forever, and ever. Merry Christmas!

Michael L. McManus is a bi-monthly columnist for The Korea Times and founder and emeritus president of the California International Business University. He teaches as Guest Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and welcomes emails at mcmismism@aol.com.