It doesn't really matter when you sit down at a poker table. You're always looking for somebody who is throwing a party--just giving it away. Sometimes you get lucky and a whale is spewing chips all over the table. Sometimes you have to work a little bit harder. Tonight, on this 2006 Christmas Eve, there were a lot of people who didn't have to work at all. And who do they have to thank?

Well, Santa Claus, of course.

While there were rumors and hopes that suggested Santa might be in the vicinity, nobody knew for sure until a little after 8pm ET tonight when Santa himself sat down at a table and said, in essence, "I'm about to give away a lot of money."

The jolly old elf pops down the chimney of a PokerStars table



Over the course of the next several hours, Santa Claus emptied thousands and thousands of dollars out of his big sack of goodies. At times, it seemed the PokerStars players couldn't believe their good fortune. For some players, the concept of Santa showing up and giving them a holiday gift just seemed...well, too good to be true. Santa even offered some sage advice to players: "It's better to be good than lucky...because miracles usually happen on 34th Street, not on Fifth Street."

[Note: The above received a couple of groans in the chat bar. Santa could only respond, "Sometimes I sleigh myself..."]

Come Monday, it may all seem like a dream to the good boys and girls on PokerStars. They may wonder if, in fact, it ever happened at all. As one who witnessed it, I can only say...

"Yes, Virginia..."

Happy Holidays, everyone.