Hat in Hand
Santa Clause always visited our house when I was a child. What was interesting was that my father and grandfather always took me for a ride to see the fancy decorations in Pasadena, California, and when we arrived home, we’d just missed Santa. Mom and Grandma had seen him, but not me.
One year I heard him up on the roof. Bells were tinkling and I just knew they were the bells hanging from Donner’s or Blitzen’s neck. My sister and I shared a room, and I woke her to tell her of our visitor. She told me to be quiet and go to sleep because the bells I heard were on something she’d been wearing. Hmph!
But the best story I heard came from my father. At about seven-years-old my daughter decided there was no Santa. I told my father about it, and he sat her down to tell her why he knew there was a Santa Clause.
When he was a boy in Kansas, the family always took the buckboard and horses to visit his grandparents for Christmas. The kids would sleep in the loft and await Santa’s visit. This particular year it took a long time, but finally all the children except my father went to sleep.
On this night he sat up and peeked out the window. There was snow on the ground and the moon gave it a blue cast. It was so bright out for nighttime. The trees waved their branches slowly, back and forth, but he couldn’t hear the leaves rustling. They’d all fallen off in the fall, leaving only a couple of stragglers. He could see the wagon sitting beside the house, and he thought he heard the horses snort a time or two.
He watched as a rabbit ran across the snow, hoping there weren’t any critters around to take it for dinner. The rabbit safely made it into the brush and my father let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
That was when he heard a noise. It sounded like horses quietly stomping their feet in the snow. He turned and glanced at the barn, but the doors were closed and there wasn’t a horse in sight. Slowly, very slowly, he raised his eyes toward the ceiling. The sound was coming from the roof above him. He knew with all his heart that Santa had arrived. He lowered his head to the bed, hoping Santa would think he was asleep. And he waited. He never heard a sound again until there was a whishing sound from outside.
Jumping up he looked out the window and saw what looked like Santa in his sleigh with reindeer pulling it, just as it passed by the moon. He knew no one would believe him, but he also knew he’d been privileged that night to see Santa Clause carrying out his gift-giving.
Well, of course, Grandpa wouldn’t make anything up, so my daughter went to bed that night in anticipation of a visit from the jolly old elf.
My dad and I talked later, and he said he didn’t know what he actually saw that night, but whatever it was, it really looked like Santa and his reindeer -- at least to a child.
I thought about Christmas and what it means to me before I wrote this. And then I remembered a Christmas decoration that I set out every year. It’s a figurine of Santa Clause, hat in hand, kneeling over the baby Jesus and paying his respects.
So when you tell your children about St. Nicolas, be sure you tell them about the real meaning of Christmas first. Tell them about the child who came to teach us, to love us, and to care for us.
Talk to them about caring for each other. In these difficult times, it’s warmed my heart to hear about people paying for other people’s layaway items without asking for recognition. They just wanted to help someone out who was having a difficult time. I watch when people drop money in the bucket outside of stores, and as others pull names off a Christmas tree in a store to buy a gift for a child they don’t even know. Toys for Tots? What a wonderful effort. Food delivered for Christmas dinner? Someone, many someones, helped out again.
Until next time, unpolitically correct me wishes you a Very Merry Christmas, and please, remember the real reason for the season. He loves you, and so do I.
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Categories: Mysteries, Children's story, Fun, Christmas, Authors, Santa Clause, Books, Humor, Family, Marja McGraw
Tags: Marja McGraw Blog Fiction Writers Authors Books Mystery Blog Mystery writer Humorous Mystery Mystery Humor Fun Writing Mysteries Enthusiasm Sandi Webster Cozy Mysteries Chris Cross The Bogey Man Christmas Inspiration Marja's Mystery Blog Political Correctness Santa Clause Childrens Story
Marja,
What a lovely post! I love the figurine of Santa Claus with baby Jesus; it pretty much says it all.
Merry Christmas!
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Patricia, I'm so glad you enjoyed the blog. This one came from the heart. And Merry Christmas to you! Marja
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Very nice blog, Marja. And Merry Christmas to your and yours --
-- Dac
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Dac, Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you and yours, too.
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What a beautiful and inspiring story, Marja! It's one to pass on to new generations. I love the picture of Santa with the Christ Child. Wishing you and your family the happiest Christmas ever. Dorothy
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Thank you, Dorothy. Writing this blog lifted my spirits and set the tone for this Christmas at our house. Merry Christmas to you! Marja
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That was wonderful, Marja. I too heard Santa up on the roof and the bells. I was at my great-grandma's house and thrilled that Santa had been able to find me since I wasn't at home for Christmas. I was four.
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Thank you, Marilyn. Don't you sometimes wish you could go back to that time of innocence? I do. Have a wonderful Christmas! Marja
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This was a great story. I certainly know where your imagination and openness to the magic of life told in story comes from. Thanks. Have a joyful and blessed holiday and abundantly wonderful New Year.
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Thank you, Thesesa. I think all the storytelling started with my father. One day I'll do a blog about the first time he saw my mother. He was seven and she was an infant. I probably couldn't do it justice though. Wishing you a terrific Christmas! marja
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Lovely story, Marja. Whether a person believes in Christ or not, caring about others is the key to true happiness. Happy holidays.
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Thank you! This is such a loving time of year and people show their compassion when you least expect it. Merry Christmas!
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Love, love your father's story!
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Thank you, Tricia! He was quite the storyteller. I hope you have a Christmas filled with fond memories. Marja
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A lovely post, Marja. It brought memories of my own childhood. We always read the poem, "The Night Before Christmas" and I can still recite most of it by heart. It's my favorite time of the year.
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Thank you, Jean. Mine, too, on both counts. Sometimes it seems like it can start out a little sad, and yet it always seems to end up joyful. Marja
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How delightful. Perhaps the best blog I've read this week. And it is so true, Christmas brings out the generosity and love better than any other time of the year. There must be a reason - the reason for the season.
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I'm smiling, Jim. Thank you! It seems like every year something happens that really touches my heart. I hope you have a lovely Christmas. Marja
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Marja, thank you for such remembrance, that it is all about the first Christmas when a small child lay in a manger who we had no idea that He was and is the greatest gift of all. Augie
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Thank you, Augie. This is what I celebrate on Christmas Day, and sometimes we need to be reminded it's not all about the craziness of shopping and getting ready. Marja
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Thanks for the excellent reminder. I plan to post something similar later this week.
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Stephen, I look forward to reading your Christmas blog. Thank you for stopping in. Marja
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Glad not the only politically incorrect person in area.
Thank you for insight into your Christmas self. MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Your number one fan.
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LOL You never let me down, Jake. Merry Christmas to you, too. Marja
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Hi Marja,
Wonderful blog! I remember seeing SAnta's sleigh high in the sky one Christmas eve when Dad was dr my family to his parents' home. I must havebeen 5 or 6. Don't know if that was the same year I found what I knew were reindeer tracks by our house. Merry Christmas!
S.L. Smith
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Wow, Sharon. Reindeer tracks in addition to a sleigh in the sky. What an exciting year! Thanks for sharing. Marja
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