The Miracle Of Christmas

Thanks to the discoveries of modern physics, one of the greatest mysteries of the universe can now be explained: How does Father Christmas manage to deliver presents to every good child in the world in one night?

For years scientists postulated the existence of a quantum particle, the St. Nick's Boson, often referred to as "The Santa Particle". Now it has been discovered! If we treat Father Christmas as a quantum object, the solution to the mystery is revealed.

In 1803, Thomas Young showed that light, behaving as a wave and passing through two narrow slits, forms a pattern of light and dark lines on a screen, due to interference of the two sets of coherent waves emanating from the slits.

It has also been shown that light consists of quantum objects called photons. If the light falling on the two slits is dim enough, photons can be made to pass through the slits one at a time.

But which slit does each photon choose to pass through?

The interference pattern is still visible, meaning that each photon must pass through both slits at once! But if one attempts to measure the position of a photon at any given time, the pattern disappears. In accordance with Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, observing the quantum objects affects their behaviour. You cannot know their momentum and position precisely.

By considering Father Christmas to be a quantum particle, albeit a large one, and presuming the reindeer can propel him at near light speeds, quantum mechanics states that he can pass through every point on the earth at the same time, as long as no-one attempts to observe him!

This is why, in order to receive presents on Christmas Eve, you have to be tucked up in bed asleep.

Moreover, the only evidence of the existence of the St. Nick's Boson is the other particles left in its wake. In this case, crumbs of mince pie and an empty glass.

Have a very merry Christmas one and all.