December 4, 2006

• GUEST POST: My Favorite Christmas Memory

  By Christyatthelake 

  
  

  
  

  I must have been only 8 years old. Christmas always seemed bigger than life at that age. I still believed in Santa, but was beginning to question things that kids at school said about him. Some had older siblings that squashed their younger siblings beliefs. So of course those kids came to school trying to ruin it for everyone else.

  
  

  
  

  I remember asking my mom and my dad if Santa was real. I remember saying that some kids at school said the Santa at the mall was just someone dressed up like Santa. It made me mad because sitting on Santa’s lap and whispering my secrets and hopes for Christmas was the highlight of the year. My mom and dad told me that the Santa at the mall was actually an elf – one of Santa’s helpers. That Santa could not be everywhere during this very busy time but that all the elves reported all the children’s wishes to him every evening.

  
  

  
  

  This worked for me. Good explanation.

  
  

  
  

  My Aunt was in from California for this Christmas and that always made it super special for me. She was always so much fun. My mom and dad told my brother and myself, a few days before Christmas, that Santa was going to come to the house for a visit that evening. He was also going to bring his wife! I can still feel the excitement pumping through me in a surge of adrenalin. Santa at my house! My Aunt told us all that she wanted to sit on Santa’s lap too. I remember thinking that was cool she still believed in Santa. Now the memory makes me laugh a little.

  
  

  
  

  Sometime after dark the door bell rang and my brother and I jumped out of our slippers and raced to the front door with our dad. Dad opened the door and there was Santa and Mrs. Claus! We were all smiles as the Claus's hugged and kissed us. I looked around them to see the reindeer and sleigh but only saw a station wagon. My eyebrows met in the middle and my mouth pouted. This was not right!

  
  

  
  

  I looked up at Santa and asked him why he was driving a station wagon. “There is a simple explanation for that,” Santa replied while walking to the living room and sitting near the blazing fire, “The reindeer need lots of rest before Christmas Eve and Rudolph has a little cold.” That seemed a reasonable explanation but I remember feeling gypped. How would all my friends know Santa came to my house if they could not see the reindeer out their windows? Oh well.

  
  

  
  

  So Santa sat and talked to all of us and I did not doubt it was the real Santa at all! It was a real beard on an obviously aging man. Mom served hot chocolate and some adult drinks as well and my brother and I took turns sitting on Santa’s lap and telling him what we wanted for Christmas. Then my Aunt sat on Santa’s lap and everyone laughed and Santa “Ho, Ho, Ho’d” LOL. It was funny. That was one happy Santa as my Aunt is very beautiful.

  
  

  
  

  A few days later was Christmas eve and I had come down with the flu and was running a fever over 102°. I was miserable but still excited for Christmas. Mom laced our hot chocolate with brandy (to get us to sleep) and dad read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” as he did every year. Then it was time for bed – oh and we put out cookies and milk for Santa.

  
  

  
  

  I woke in the middle of the night, feeling really icky. Then I heard something downstairs and froze. I listened and could hear my father snoring so I knew it was not him. Was it Santa? I could not move. My room was at the end of the hall. At the other end, and I could see it from my bed, were the stairs. The most amazing thing happened and something that still affects me to this day. Santa walked up those stairs, the same Santa that had visited only days before. He went into my brother’s room and then he walked into my room. He kissed me on my forehead and whispered “Merry Christmas Christy.” My heart was pounding.

  
  

  
  

  I told my family what had happened the next morning but everyone looked at me skeptically. My fever had also broke and I was feeling better. For years I believed that it had really happened and waited for him to visit me in the night again. It never happened. As an adult I finally chalked it up to a fever induced dream, but in my heart I will always wonder 2 things… was it really Santa and was it his kiss that made me better so fast…

  • 8:10 am
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