Things don't change for the better until we all take action. And that's why this new Christmas ad from National Alliance on Mental Illness, known best as NAMI, is so important.
The main purpose of NAMI is to help fight the stigma around mental health and mental illnesses. It also provides both education and support for those who may be suffering. Mental health is gaining more time in the spotlight for good reason. So many times, people only tend to care about the illnesses they can plainly see. If you're depressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or feeling afraid of social engagements, there are ways to get help.
The holiday season can be a trigger for many of us. What's meant to be a joyous time can fill us with dread or fear. And, even children can get wrapped up in it, which is why it's about time that Santa himself addressed the issue of "naughty" or "nice." Because, some kids feel as if every action is being tallied throughout the year.
The video starts with Santa on top of the roof, contemplating to the camera why the terms "naughty" or "nice" can be problematic. He admits that the labels were meant for good back in the day, but that society has changed. "I think I did this all wrong," he laments. "As if some kids don't have enough to worry about."
Santa realizes that he doesn't technically have enough context or perspective to understand why kids act a certain way. Maybe a child is acting up because of something happening at home. Or, perhaps the kid is going through a spell of depression after being bullied, which is reflected on in homework assignments and the way the child talks to his parents.
Behavior itself is often hard to define. Every child out there comes from a different background and has different genetics. While kids in general share plenty of similarities, they can function in different ways. That's why openly labeling behavior as "naughty" can be somewhat tough. Maybe there's something deeper going on that needs to be addressed.
Instead, Santa uses the labels to figure out who gets presents. As he mentions, it used to be a way to keep behaviors in check. But now, it's blown to the proportion where parents might actually use the holidays, and Santa Claus, to limit their own celebration or try to teach kids a lesson. As Santa states, kids are such "intricate beings" that it's way too tough to label them as one of two things.
"Isn't it just as possible that they're nervous or nice?" Santa asks. "Uncomfortable in their own skin, or nice? 'I'm angry and I don't know why' or nice?" Since mental health issues often get swept under the rug, it's possible for children to not feel as comfortable opening up about issues like this. Instead, they risk getting labeled as being problematic.
In the ad, Santa feels for the kids — and realizes why these emotions may be greater now than ever before. "The world is bearing down on them," Santa says. Kids today have to grow up with lockdown drills at school, fear of being in a public place with someone who loses control, and even the internet. It's a great place for information, but also a way to feel more exposed than ever.
In short, it's not as easy as it used to be. There's a way to get children to learn lessons, but making them feel less than at a time of celebration is just not right. Kids are faced with so many obstacles, along with the fear that someone is judging them and that they might wake up to a lack of presents.
For parents, it can be seen as an empty threat. But for children, it's just something else to get nervous about. There are better ways to handle Christmas, but NAMI happens to be one of the first to bring it up and make it public. "Show me an interesting fully-formed person and I'll show you a once-difficult child," Santa states.
The ad sparked plenty of different reactions. Most people were happy that the ad was a sweet yet thoughtful way to show that there may be more behind "naughtiness." Parent Hudson Harris tweeted back that his special needs child once identified as "naughty" based on a Christmas book, and he recognized that it's a concept that needed to change.
It inspired others to check out the world of advertising and marketing, because ads aren't just to sell products — they're to sell concepts and help spread the word. Marketing can bring a lot of good to the world if you get the right people on a team. This ad, in particular, left some people in tears based on how on point it was.
A Twitter user who identifies by the name Jewels stated that the ad is also on point for adults. The user stated that as an adult with ADHD, they often still felt like they were on the Naughty List. An ad like this is effective for everyone who once had problems expressing their emotions or with feeling like an outcast.
It even touched people who usually don't stop and watch Christmas ads. That's because this one is different — it gives one of the most powerful figures of the holiday a chance to speak up for those who can't. It also helps adults realize that sometimes, their children act up for a reason that straight up discipline might not fix.
Some people may have an issue that an ad like this may "change" Christmas, but it really is important to see the holiday through someone else's eyes — especially someone young who might feel overloaded already. It couldn't hurt to slightly change things around to make people realize there are a lot of terms that fall between naughty and nice. It's also let them know that if they were once labeled as naughty, that's not a term that should follow them through life.
Let's make the holidays merry for every kid. Even those who got all A's on their report cards and volunteer time may not see themselves as being nice. As Santa himself pointed out, psychology isn't something that he's necessarily got the chops to fully understand.
