I accidentally stumbled upon a gig playing Santa, and 17 years later here's what the role has taught me

I was missing the point completely. This was a real eye opener for me. I thought the North Pole was just a place with an imaginary village and workshop — I came to find out that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Let's say you wanted to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus at their workshop. You would pull out your handy compass, or more likely your compass app (yes, they have an app for that), and you would see that the compass needle points to the True North.

Spiritually speaking, True North is a metaphor for finding our fixed point in a spinning world. It's the internal compass derived from our most deeply held beliefs, values, and principles. While True North may be unique to each of us, the North Pole completely connects all of us.

This season, Christmastime is a reminder of our connections. It's a time when the Santa and Mrs. Claus awakens in each of us — we embody the spirit of generosity and put our love into action.

We are all Santa's helpers.

As one of the thousands of Claus portrayal artists, it is a unique privilege to serve as a reminder of humanity's many good traits and values. I'm honored to serve as a shield so you can give and express your love freely, in the name of Santa Claus, and spare the recipients of your gracious giving from the law of reciprocity.

I wish you a very merry Christmas.