Ho Ho Ho!

Ho Ho Ho! Less than a week to go, and the big guy in the red suit makes his appearance! Little kids everywhere are waiting anxiously to see if the hoped-for toys they included on their wish lists to Santa will show up under the tree on Christmas day...especially those things that Mom and Dad just can't afford or simply refuse to buy, but good old Santa Claus can easily whip up in his shop. (He's awesome that way.)

That's how our four oldest sons acquired a Nintendo game system on Christmas morning, 1989. Their dad and I weren't going to allow video games in our house (it's cute how idealistic we were), but then our oldest son, who was six at the time, decided it was time to get serious and go over our heads. He and his brothers desperately wanted a Nintendo; that year, it was to them what the Red Ryder B.B. Gun was to Ralphie in the movie A Christmas Story. "If you won't get it for us, I know Santa will," he said with a quivering lip. (Knife to the heart!)

I guess Santa thought those boys were very good (they were--for the most part!) and deserved a little Christmas magic. Lucky for him, though, that he didn't have to be around to handle the disciplinary measures that were necessary on account of that dang Nintendo. He never had to pack it up and store it away for months at a time because those maniacally competitive kids were either playing it too much or fighting over it. Santa got the fun part! But that magical Christmas morning when dreams came true, he did strengthen the belief of four little boys who were already dyed-in-the-wool Santa believers.

My boys are now 28, 26, 25, 23, and 18, and they still believe in Santa. (Me, too!) Above is a picture that son #2 drew when he was about ten. The funny thing is, this drawing is practically a self-portrait, because this is how the artist himself looks these days. He has a moustache and a long, crazy beard. And for Halloween, he dressed up as jolly old Kris Kringle, to the amusement of his friends. I'm hoping that he can put on his Santa suit for my twin six-month-old granddaughters when we get together with them on the 26th...although they may be terrified when they see this big, bearded man and hear his deep, hearty "Ho Ho Ho!" You know, perhaps we'll wait until next year for that, or the year after...I wouldn't want to scar those sweet little girls and ruin for them the magic and joy of Santa Claus--the guy who made their daddy so happy that Christmas long ago.