Let me make one thing perfectly clear … as the late, great President Nixon used to say… I have NEVER been a big fan of Santa Claus.

I think he’s part of the commercial distraction that takes away from the Christ in Christmas.

Or tries to.

That said, I am actually a bit uncomfortable about the ads “starring” Santa on Best Buy, where people try to one-up him by getting better gifts for people than he does.

The commercials are smart and edgy, to be sure, but they seem a little mean-spirited as well.

I mean, what did Santa ever do to these people to get mocked by having his replica kicked off the roof or get texted nasty little messages?

Santa’s not sacred to me, not by ANY means, but it could be jarring for little kids to see him treated so shabbily.

It seems like the part of our culture about “buying happiness” through gifts, electronics or whatever, trumps everything.

Even poor Santa!