Mrs. Clause Must be a Military Spouse

Editor’s note: Yes, we know there’s no “E” on the end of Santa Claus, but given the military’s penchant for “clauses,” we enjoyed the humor! We hope you do, too.

Faced with the prospect of spending another holiday alone, military spouses might recognize a kindred spirit this Christmas season: Mrs. Clause. She must be a military spouse!

How do we know?

1. Mrs. Clause supports her spouse. Because she works tirelessly as part of “Team Clause,” the general public defines her by his job. We military spouses realize, though, that she is so much more.

2. Mrs. Clause will move anywhere to be with Old St. Nick. This is perhaps the most convincing evidence. Who else but a military spouse would follow her husband on assignment to the freezing North Pole?

3. Mrs. Clause makes the best of every situation. Her generous and kind spirit makes even the coldest of places warm and inviting. She could do wonders with installation housing!

4. Mrs. Clause worries about her husband’s dangerous job. When Santa is off flying around the globe, Mrs. Clause keeps her concerns and tears to herself, but we all know she has more than her fair share of gray hairs. Perhaps she has installed a webcam on Santa’s sleigh so she can see (if not actually hold) him on Christmas Eve.

5. Mrs. Clause keeps the home fires burning. Imagine her leading a family support group meeting for residents of the North Pole. In turn, she’s surrounded by love and good will.

6. Mrs. Clause understands that the mission is first priority. Even when Santa is home, he is so busy at work that Mrs. Clause hardly sees him. Like all members of our special society of spouses, Mrs. Clause understands that, though she may be last on Santa’s schedule, she is first in his heart.

7. Mrs. Clause is frugal. Santa’s salary is not published, but I suspect Mrs. Clause clips coupons to support a household of hundreds of elves and eight reindeer (plus the newest addition, Rudolph). Let’s not even start on her heating bill!

8. Mrs. Clause knows how to keep her mind occupied. To stay busy, Mrs. Clause pitches in with the toy-making (although it really is someone else’s job), bakes hundreds of cookies (we all know how Santa feels about cookies), and volunteers her time (she is just as generous as her husband).

9. Mrs. Clause is underemployed. To take her mind off of her husband’s safety (and to help with the bills), Mrs. Clause probably has a paying job, too. Although we know her for her kindness, Mrs. Clause is also a smart, independent self-starter. Since she has to work seasonally and values family life above all else, I doubt that this job fully uses her considerable skills and training.

10. Mrs. Clause is married to a genuine hero. For Mrs. Clause and military spouses alike, it’s worth all of the sacrifices to be married to someone you truly respect and admire.

Mrs. Clause assists Santa and encourages him in his meaningful work. Just as Santa performs his duty selflessly and with an attitude that could best be described as . . . well . . . jolly, Mrs. Clause also knows how to accentuate the positive. Surely Mrs. Clause is one of us, part of the special breed called the military spouse.