In 2016 I bought a very expensive Santa suit. My wife wasn't happy about it - because it was so expensive. But I knew it would be worth it. I bought it to dress up for my eldest son on Christmas day. Each year, my appearances and acts would become more dramatic. We then had our second son, and the acts were getting better and better. I would eventually become paranoid that they would recognise me as the years went on. I had to order an old man silicone mask from China, I was convinced they would find out. I don't know whether this bought me a couple more years or gave it away.
Here I am dressed up for the kids at kinder back in 2018. Thoughts?
In 2023 I revealed myself. My boys were 8 and 6 at the time. I couldn't do it anymore, I was too paranoid. They claimed to have known it was me, but I don't think they did. Or maybe I'm clinging onto the joy and magic of Christmas with my boys. This year will be the first year I haven't dressed up for my boys as we will be away during Christmas. But I reckon I will keep dressing up each and every year until one day I may very well just look like him - ha!
Although my boys have given up the idea that Santa Claus is real, they still absolutely love the gifts that come during this time of year. It doesn't matter whether you're 10 or 42, I too enjoy the gifts that come during Christmas. One of which is the Santa Claus Rally (SCR) in the stock market. It's a calendar effect whereby we see stock prices rise during the last 5 trading days in December and the first 2 trading days in the following January.
Here are three key facts about December and the stock market:
December is the second-best month of the year during an election year. It's also higher 83.3% of the time.
Since 1950, December is the third best month on average, with an average gain of 1.5%.
Since 1950, December has the highest odds of being positive, almost 75% of the time.
Furthermore, the latest rally in markets may be reason for caution. Not if Santa Claus has anything to do about it. The last ten times the stock market was up at least 20% going into December, the final month gained nine times out of the ten (90%), with an average gain of 2.4%.
Finally, I've spoken and written about this baby bull of a market turning three. Here's a chart by Carson Group, which puts the current bull market into perspective. Going back 50 years, they found five other bull markets that had lasted at least this long and the shortest any of them lasted was five total years.
This doesn't mean we can't or won't have a short-term decline in markets. Dips could be buying opportunities. Take the long-view.