Christmas Tales: daddy's and daughters...

a christmas memory

There are things that a father shares with his daughter that warms the most hardest of male hearts. It’s something between magic and truth and can never be repeated.

It was December 24^th, I was married at the time and my wife was working overnights. My oldest wanted to spend Christmas Eve with her grandmother and my youngest wanted to spend the evening with me. So it was just Kathryn or Skoot as I have nicknamed her and I on Christmas Eve.

She was 8 then and still believed in Santa Claus. Throughout the evening she kept asking me about the fat guy who flew around on Christmas Eve as if I were an expert on Clausology. She and her inquisitive sister have always kept me on my toes when it came to topics like this.

Q: Does he live in the north pole all year round?

A: Yes, except for the month of May. Santa enjoys spring and likes to spend his spring trips in the Adirondacks when the flowers are in full bloom.

Q: Why don’t Santa and Mrs. Santa have any kids?

A:  For one, Santa is much too busy organizing things for Christmas Eve to spend ample amount of time raising children. He thinks the children of the world as his own.

Q: How come some of my toys I get from Santa say “made in china” and not “made in the north pole”?

A: Because, honey, a lot of the components used to make your toys from Santa come from china. Because of this, I.S.O. standards dictate that Santa or his elves must put a “made in china” sticker on them, even though they are assembled in the North Pole.

The questions were endless and always different each year. But I’ve always wanted to keep the spirit of Santa alive in my daughters because innocence is something we all wish we could have kept from childhood. To watch that belief die is something hard for a parent to watch. I even wrote them letters from Santa answering the ones they sent him. Yes, it was exhausting, but to me that kind of thing was fun to do.

This particular night, Skoot and I were baking cookies.

“What kind of cookies do you think Santa likes?” Skoot had asked me.

“Errm…chocolate chip with walnuts, I would imagine.” I answered slyly.

So that’s what we made, some for santa and some for us, all the while Christmas music blaring in the kitchen.

Skoot double checked her stocking to make sure there was ample room for lots of treats. She wrote up a place card to put in front of the plate of cookies. “For Santa”.

It was 10pm and we had laid out the cookies and milk. Thanks goes to Google Earth and NORAD for tracking Santa. We watched on my laptop as Santa’s sleigh zoomed across the stratosphere from city to city, nation to nation, country to country, continent to continent until he had made his way to Minnesota.

Skoot squealed with delight, “Oh my god,  Santa’s in Minnesota!!!”

“We better put Daisy in her kennel so she doesn’t bite santa.” I suggested. Daisy, our wiemeriner, was extremely protective of our home and Skoot was afraid Santa would become her chew toy.

We kenneled Daisy and shut off all the lights in the house save the chrismas lights on the tree and throughout the house.

On the laptop, Santa was an hour away in Mankato, MN. We snapped it closed and ran for her bedroom. She had me sit by her bed to hold her hand. She was shaking with anticipation it was so cute.

“Won’t Santa know we’re awake?” she realized worried, “It says so in the song?”

“Only when kids are awake, honey, so hurry…off to la la land.”

I knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Just then, there was a noise from the roof which set Daisy barking like a fool. I jumped. Perhaps it was a branch, it was very windy out, and I had two birch trees that overhung my roof.

“Oh my god, daddy, he’s here!!” she whispered in a squeal.

“Shhhhhhhh…” I have to admit I was kinda scared because if a fat guy in a red suit showed up in my living room I was going piss my pants and kick it from a heart attack.

After Daisy calmed down I heard it. Skoot probably before me because she gasped before I even registered it. It was the sound of a jingle bell. I felt my heart thudding in my chest. There was rustling and soft thudding going on outside the door of Skoot’s bedroom. Not realizing it was our cats playing in the tree with the ornaments (one of them being said jingle bell) and wrestling throughout the living room.

Then all noises ceased. We sat there in the silence for a bit. Skoot looked out her bedroom window to see if she could catch Santa flying away.

“I think I saw him!” she whispered with her wide blue eyes.

“Try to sleep, honey, I’ll go see what he left.”

“Can I come too?”

“In the morning, baby. It’s time for little girls to go to sleep.”

I tucked her in tight and kissed her on the forehead.

“Good night.” I said.

“Good night, daddy.” She said back.

The next hour was spent pulling gifts from hiding that read “From Santa” on them and putting them under the tree.

As I was getting out the stocking stuffers from the kitchen cupboard, Skoot walked out of her room.

“What did he leave, daddy?” she asked with sleepy eyes.

“You can see in the morning, baby, go to bed.”

“I have to go potty.”

As she went into the bathroom I stuffed the stockings as quick as I could. I ate the cookies and drank the milk. I left a thank you card from Santa by the plate.

The toilet flushed and I heard the sink turn on as she washed her hands. I quickly grabbed my coffee mug and sat on the couch as if I were drinking hot chocolate.

She came out trying to peek around the corner.

“Skooter!” I scolded playfully, “No peeking till Christmas morning! Off to bed!!”

She giggled her way back to her room.

“I can’t wait to tell Una and mom!!” she said before closing her door.

“Good night, honey.” I said again.

“Good night, daddy.”

 

Author's Note

i have the most disgusting tale to tell about the Anti Claus, which tells the tale of what happens to bad boys and girls at christmas time...it's full of everything that is wrong...but before i taint such a holiday...i thought i would sweeten it first with this little tale between me and my Skoots....

Reviews

[Zeek4]

What a wonderful story Bradley. I also have a daughter and your stories brought to mind many of the special moments I have been lucky enough to have shared with her. Children are such a joy. You did a great job of showcasing the innocence of youth. What special moments.

[M. Stein]

This is absolutely darling! I really enjoyed this! I found myself smiling the entire way through, a wonderful piece of writing.

[Sharon Kinsella]

I deja vued (daintily) all over this my son. So sweet and so you.

Love you.

[Samuel Dickens]

What a sweet and precious story. Most of us parents have been through something similar, you know. Due to my dad's carelessness, my belief in the jolly old elf was destroyed when I was six. I didn't want that to happen to my kids, so, like you, I sneaked around, made up stories, etc, in order to maintain the charade.
Oh, I can't let this one pass.
Question--You know why Santa doesn't have any children?
Answer-- He's got popcorn balls.

[KAREN]

This was such a delight to read! I can tell how much you love your kids! Sounded like a fun christmas. I loved the part where you thought you heard someone on the roof and then you heard the bell ringing! The cats knew just when to do what they did it seems!!

[Robin]

smiling ~

[Revolutionary]

I got a contest called for the holidays.My judges are 5 six to nine year olds.Try writing them something.The kids are all part of a creative writing class,so you would be helping.It's a challenge.They only like two of the entries so far.Only poems have been submitted .I thik they would enjoy a story for a change.
Ilike your story and if you added a little more fantasy and left out the part about you eating the cookies and stuffing the stockings it would be good for kids too

[InkSlinger]

You never disappoint.. I can relate to this one.. and it brought back many memories that I have always treasured.. thanks for the smile, and the warmest of memories, after such a long hard work day.. I appreciate it very much..

[Jonathan De Elvira]

haha, nice trick and answer you got there regarding your daughter ask about the toys made from china, I wouldn't be able to answer that correctly, lol,
and the last part was a bit of a scare, thanks a lot, now I want to believe in Santa just for the sake of he would show himself if I don't believe in him..lolz

[.]

that made me smile like a cheshire cat..warmer than fire on christmas eve..loved everything about it...Skoot is lucky to have a Daddy like you :)