MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS.
Sometime in the 70's, I lived in Norfolk Virginia. My memories from this time in my life are cloudy at best, but this memory still remains as clear as can be, almost like it happened yesterday. How could I ever forget the day I caught Santa Claus!
It was Christmas Eve and I remember laying in bed waiting for everyone to fall asleep. All the lights were off except the for the ones on the most magnificent Christmas Tree I had ever seen. All of our favorite ornaments hung exactly where we wanted them and the tinsel shimmering as the colorful lights lit up the room, along with the brightest light coming from the star on the top. Christmas was my absolute favorite time of the year. This year was going to be the best year ever, for this was the year I was going to catch Santa.
This year I was ready. I wasn't going to fall asleep as I had done every year before. Filled with excitement and adrenaline I waited until I heard the familiar sounds of sleep. The snoring, snorting, and even random sounds of someone babbling in their sleep, were my signal it was time. I slowly crawl out of my bed and across the bedroom floor. Yes, I really did crawl on my belly, because how else do you move undetected. It must have taken me almost half an hour to get to the top of the stairs. I had been trying to hold my breath so nobody could hear me, but I think almost passed out as I was quite dizzy when I arrived. Settling in position so that I could see the tree, I was startled by a terrible growl or barking sound, but I started to giggle uncontrollably when I realized that it was just my Dad passing gas. I thought for sure I was going to be caught.
I finally got my giggles under control when I heard sounds and movement downstairs. I laid there staring at the tree and could feel my heartbeat in my throat. I could not believe what I was watching right below me. I was staring at the back of Santa Claus as he was placing presents under the tree. My excitement was boiling over and then quickly turning to fear. I knew that if he caught me, I would lose Christmas this year. As quickly and quietly as I could, I crawled back to my bed and pulled the covers up over my head. I could not believe what I just saw and knew that nobody else would ever believe me, but I didn't care because I knew he was real and that's all that mattered.
I have only told this story once before. I told my Mom shortly before she passed away. Actually it was one of the last conversations I had with her before she died. I had called her to describe our new house and how much she would like it because of the stairs and giant picture window that we could paint for Christmas. As I told her the story of catching Santa Claus, I could hear her crying and I asked her why. She explained to me that it was her dressed up like Santa that night hoping her kids would see and believe. She told me that none of us kids had ever brought it up so she thought we hadn't seen her. She told me she loved me and that story had made her very happy because I still believed in Santa after all these years.
Thank you Mom for giving me Santa and the best Christmas ever. I will miss you always and will forever love you.
P.S. I still believe.
![[send message]](https://www.writerscafe.org/images/mail.png){kind=small}
![[befriend]](https://www.writerscafe.org/images/friend.png){kind=small}
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Read Request
My Library
Flag Writing
