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What Readers Are Saying...
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"This
book is a service to mankind!" |
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“The Santa Story
Revisited is just
plain delightful. I recommend
it to the child in every
one of us who still believes.
This book is a service
to mankind!”
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--
Christiane Northrup, M.D.,
author of the New York
Times bestsellers: Women’s
Bodies, Women’s
Wisdom and The
Wisdom of Menopause
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"A
marvelous way of honoring the
magic of Santa without deception..." |
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“Truth, honesty, and
integrity are essential
messages we give our children.
THE SANTA STORY REVISITED
is a marvelous way of honoring
the magic of Santa without
deception. This is parenting
at its best!” |
--
Larry Dossey, MD, author
of THE POWER OF PREMONITIONS
and HEALING WORDS
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"...a
generous, happy hero..." |
“Kids don't need to be tricked
into having fun. Playing make-believe
is the easiest thing in the world
for a child! I like this Santa that
is a generous, happy hero and less
like a religion.” |
--
Mark Horwitz, step-dad
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"...a
new joyful paradigm that lasts all year
long." |
“I LOVE Arita's new telling
of the Santa story! It creates a
new joyful paradigm that lasts all
year long. It makes everyone Santa,
and creates a tidal wave of appreciation
for all the sweet acts of kindness
it brings about! I love the way
Arita thinks!!!” |
--
Tony Romanov, Dad and Grampa
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"...it
was the best day ever!" |
“My husband and I bought six
copies of THE SANTA STORY REVISITED
– one for us, one for each
of my grown children, and one for
my ex. I think when you wrote this
book, you were channeling me. (And
a lot of others, too.)
“Last
Christmas, Cameron, 9, was at
the ‘I don't think he's
real but I'm not ready to give
up the magic of Santa yet’
stage. After reading your book,
I decided it was time for him
to Become Santa
himself. We called a local nursing
home and asked if we could give
a party for the seniors. Cameron
voiced that this would be boring,
and I told him that if he did
not have a wonderful time, I would
never ask him to give of himself
to anyone ever again.
“Along with his 10-year-old
brother, Chandler, we baked and
decorated 30 dozen cookies. The
boys each made a ginger bread
house to give as door prizes.
Cameron agreed to sing ‘only’
one song. They passed out the
cookies and door prizes and then
Cameron sang. When he finished
the song, he smiled big and asked
to sing another. He ended up singing
several.
“When the day was over
and we snuggled at home with some
cocoa, I asked him if his day
sucked! He smiled sheepishly and
said, ‘NO, it was the best
day ever.’ He even asked
if we HAD to wait until next Christmas
to do it again. He was very happy
when I said ‘No.’
=-)” |
--
Irene Teesdale, Mother and Grandmother
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"Our
world is a much better place because
of this beautiful book!" |
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 “What
an amazing new view of the
Santa story we have lived
as children and adults!
This work is transformative
– a positive shift in consciousness
for kids and parents in
a fun and easy manner. Without
leaving good old Santa behind,
readers and listeners are
lifted to understand Santa
as a living metaphor for
love, compassion, kindness
and generosity for all,
every day of the year. This
is a wonderful way to move
our children (and us) from
a December 25th awareness
of ‘me’ to a year-round
consciousness of ‘we.’ Our
world is a much better place
because of this beautiful
book!” |
--
Tom Zender, President
Emeritus of Unity Churches |
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"...a
Santa that embodies the spirit
of joyful living..." |
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 “In
an age where beloved characters
such as Santa Claus seem
to become even more commercial
and superficial every year,
it is at once delightfully
refreshing and richly satisfying
to meet a different Santa
that reaches across time
and can be embraced and
enjoyed by child -- and
adult -- forever. In The
Santa Story Revisited,
author Arita Trahan does
just that. She gives us
back a Santa that embodies
the spirit of joyful living,
true loving kindness and
magical giving.” |
--
Wendy Craig-Purcell, minister
and author of Ask
Yourself This:
Questions to Open the
Heart, Expand the Mind
and Awaken the Soul |
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"...emphasizes
the desire to do good to others." |
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 “Life
is a series of allegories
that teach us the illusions
of life. Just as the stories
of The Little Red Hen
and Peter Rabbit are archetypal
myths, the Santa metaphor
provides one of life’s
basic messages -- that
our single greatest instinct
is to nurture others.
THE SANTA STORY REVISITED
emphasizes the metaphorical
essential of giving and
nurturing -- ultimately
the true meaning of love
-- the desire to do good
to others. The Santa archetype
is alive and well in the
many good actions of humans.
On a personal note, Santa
is such an important archetype
for me that I began collecting
Santas from around the
world about 15 years ago.
My collection has grown
so much that I have had
to alternate my Santas
each year, displaying
only half at a time. My
grandchildren cherish
these monuments to giving/nurturing
just as much as I do.
‘ “The time has come,”
the Walrus said, “to talk
of many things.” ’ Now
is the time to talk about
the REAL meaning of THE
SANTA STORY.” |
--
C. Norman Shealy, M.D.,
Ph.D., author of Pony
Wisdom for the Soul
and 25 other books |
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"Thanks
for the soul stimulation!" |
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 “Arita
Trahan’s expanded telling
of the Santa story is filled
with positive contributions
to the consciousness of
adults and children. Even
though it’s still September,
The Santa Story Revisited
inspired me to outline my
December worship services.
Thanks for the soul stimulation
that your book gave!” |
--
Mary Ann Tumpkin, President,
Universal Foundation for
Better Living. Inc. &
Senior Minister, Universal
Truth Center, Miami Gardens,
FL |
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"...how
to present Santa Claus without
losing credibility..." |
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 “Every
parent should take note
of Arita Trahan’s
feat. She has crafted a
creative and insightful
way to deal with one of
the most beautiful and yet
most challenging issues
affecting parents -- how
to present Santa Claus without
losing credibility when
the inevitable occurs, the
dreaded moment when the
myth is debunked. Not only
does Ms. Trahan offer an
inspiring and novel method
of presenting the Santa
story, but she also deftly
coaches the reader through
many possible scenarios
of dealing with questions
and situations that may
occur in the process. Drawing
upon a child's innate and
wondrous sense of play and
imagination, she crafts
a Santa for the 21st century
and beyond, one that maintains
all the magic and joy but
one that also preserves
and even strengthens the
most basic and sacred bond
of trust between parent
and child.” |
--
Rick Seay, Ed.D., Academic
Dean, Montgomery Bell
Academy |
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"...expanding
the story will delight kids—and
parents..." |
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 “This
wonderful little book introduces
a whole new ‘enlightened’
paradigm regarding Santa,
allowing all of us to transcend
our childhood disappointment
regarding the ‘jolly
old elf.’ Arita Trahan’s
retelling of Santa by expanding
the story will delight kids
-- and parents no longer
have to deal with the inevitable
disenchantment and distress
that ensues when their children
would otherwise hear that
Santa is not real.” |
--
Leslie M. Andrew, MS,
BCET, Educational Therapist |
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"Arita
has preserved what is best about
Santa, while expanding the fun." |
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 “Arita
Trahan has done something
truly WONDERFUL with her
Santa story! By introducing
Santa as an intimate family
game that is based on giving
-- not consumption or receiving
-- she has preserved what
is best about Santa, while
expanding the fun. With
Arita’s approach,
Santa lives in our hearts,
and he becomes actual in
our imaginations whenever
we want him to be, that
being whenever we play the
game. I love the honest
nature of her thinking here.
The Santa Story Revisited
will be highly enlightening
to parents, grandparents,
in short...EVERYONE.”
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--
Arlan Godthaab, Actor
(and Professional Santa) |
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"This
is wisdom for all year round..."" |
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 “In
The Santa Story Revisited,
Arita Trahan shares ways
to use the child’s
innate use of fantasy and
gift of imagination as an
expanded way of enjoying
Santa more. This is wisdom
for all year round, not
just Christmas. For the
child you love and the inner
child that you are, it offers
a sensitive and generous
way to approach the Santa
story.” |
--
Candy Paull, author of
The Most Wonderful
Time of the Year
and The Art of
Abundance
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"A
game that emphasizes the joy of
giving..." |
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 “What
I like most about The Santa
Story Revisited is the way
Arita expands Santa into
a game that emphasizes the
joy of giving. It is a practical
way to encourage each child
to participate in Santa-like
acts of kindness. This book
is a refreshing approach
to Christmas, given the
ever-increasing commercialism
of this wondrous holiday.
This is a Santa every parent
can feel happy about sharing
with their little ones.” |
--
Lance Hoppen, Dad |
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"Whatever
you want to think about Santa
is exactly right!" |
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 “The
Santa Story Revisited
is a magical gift! As
soon as I incorporated
only a few ideas from
this book, we had a new
way to celebrate Christmas.
The first thing my 4-year-old
son, Diego, and I did
last December was to remember
why we love Santa—because
he is a giver who expects
nothing in return.
“Then Diego helped
me print out the “FROM
SANTA” gift tags
from the website (www.TheSantaStory.com)
and we used ribbon to
tie them to candy canes.
We went through the neighborhood
and he dropped them on
all the kids’ porches,
each time quickly running
away so he wouldn't get
caught!
“When Diego's father
came home that night he
told him, ‘Daddy,
I'm such a good giver!’
I was beaming! Then we
started playing the ‘Santa
Game.’ This game
is so incredible because
it not only includes everyone,
it allows for your imagination
to run away with itself.
Whatever you want to think
about Santa is exactly
right!
“On Christmas morning
Diego told me how grateful
he was for all of his
presents. It’s now
April and we are still
playing the ‘Santa
Game.’ I am so grateful
to Arita and Norma for
writing this book. They
and this book have become
part of our family.” |
--
Carrie Herrera, Mother |
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"...encouraging
children to see Santa as a hero
they can emulate." |
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 “This
delightful book presents
a new way to teach generosity,
love, industry and kindness
to children. It helps parents
become conscious of their
intention in story-telling
while also encouraging children
to see Santa as a hero they
can emulate.” |
--
Giuditta Tornetta, author
of Painless Childbirth |
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"A
common foundation for celebrating
during the holidays..." |
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 “The
Santa Story Revisited has
revitalized my enthusiasm
for Santa and playing my
own role in the Santa game,
with a sense of inclusion
and playfulness. Arita Trahan’s
book gives us a common foundation
for celebrating during the
holidays. While still maintaining
our own personal faith-based
beliefs, we can enjoy Santa
as mentor of generosity,
the impetus behind small
gifts and acts of kindness.” |
--
Andrea Sholer, MA, Spiritual
Psychology |
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"The
Santa Story encourages generosity
rather than greed." |
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 “This
delightfully engaging book
isn't just about Santa.
The Santa Story encourages
generosity rather than greed
- and teaches parents and
children how to apply creativity
to any of life's situations,
rather than just reusing
old paradigms. Hoo-ray for
a Santa that grows as we
do!” |
--
Reverend Marla Sanderson,
The Center for Conscious
Living
Largo, Florida
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"...marvelous,
transformational..." |
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 "Arita
Trahan’s book is nothing
less than a marvelous, transformational
workable cultural reconstruction
which enriches the experience
of human being!” |
--
Steve Bloch, Step-dad |
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