Santa and the rules of magic

Fantastic Stories and Where to Find Them A new year

Santa and the rules of magic

Santa’s ability to visit all the children of the world in a single night is often said to be magic. If so, are there limits to Santa’s magic?

I enjoy magic that is limited. For example, in Patrick Rothfuss’ novel (which I’m currently reading and thoroughly enjoying), the rules of magic rely on the concept that “all the energy that ever was or will be is here now.” (Forgive me; I can’t remember who said that. I thought it was Einstein, but Google searches weren’t fruitful this morning.) If a sympathist (i.e., magician) uses a binding (i.e., casts a spell), then the energy required for it must have a source. For example, if he wants to light a candle, he must draw the energy needed for the flame from some other source of heat, like his own blood. There are consequences, though. Say he wants to start a bonfire and relies on the heat of his own blood to do it. He risks “binder’s chills,” a form of hypothermia much less pleasant than hypothermia. This simple premise requires a sympathist in Rothfuss’ novels to be clever in which sources he draws from for energy, and careful in terms of the consequences of drawing from that energy source. The rules of magic are defined.

Compare this to The Force in Star Wars. It appears that there is no real limit to its use. When Luke Skywalker claims he can’t lift the X-wing from Yoda’s swamp because “it’s too big” compared to the stone he was just lifting, Yoda says, “Size matters not.” Luke proceeds to raise the X-wing from the swamp using The Force, and this after him being exhausted from the day’s physical exercises. The Force, then, seems as though it has no limits except those of the user’s mind…in other words, his self-confidence and emotional balance. The only consequences to using The Force depend on whether you use it for good or evil. Otherwise, The Force doesn’t drain you in any way. I love Star Wars, but I wonder if it wouldn’t be even better if there were physical consequences to using The Force. (On that note, overusing the Dark Side of The Force messed up Palpatine pretty bad, so there are consequences, but they haven’t been properly defined.)

What about Santa then? In one night–one minute, actually, at 12:00 a.m. Christmas Day–Santa visits all the children of the world and delivers presents (or coal, for you pricks out there). If we’re to go by The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Santa also visits other realms, like Narnia. From whence does St. Nick’s magic come? Is it unlimited, godlike? Most Christmas stories and movies like to expound upon Santa’s capabilities (consider the appearing and disappearing chimneys in chimney-less houses in the movie The Santa Clause, or Santa’s ability to be Santa, hobo, and train conductor simultaneously in the movie The Polar Express). Few of these stories, though, define the limits of Santa’s abilities. I guess we’re to assume there aren’t any.

Here’s one quick theory. (Why theorize about such a thing, you ask? Because that’s a fantasy writer’s job. Oh, and because it’s fun.) Santa is otherwise inactive the rest of the year. Each Christmas Day at 12 a.m., his ability to visit every child relies on the saving up of all his other minutes throughout the year, which he uses all at once to visit the children of the world. You might say, “But still, that’s not enough time all together.” It’s more than just the time in those minutes, though; it’s also the life and energy in those minutes, the power of choice each minute involves, such that one minute offers multiple sources of magical power: time, life, energy, choice. Combined, these make it possible for him to visit all the world’s children in a minute. Of course, such a theory would have to be more clearly defined (and it’s something I’d like to try one day), but for now, it’s a start.

So, all you good little boys and girls, how do you think Santa does it? Are there limits to his magic, or is he a limitless god in a red suit? Merry Christmas!

Check out my fantasy novelette, Upholder, free to read now.