My Christmas Story
Originally posted in 2007
(Char and I want to wish all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas. I also want to thank you for the comments you have left throughout the year and for the stories you have shared on your site – those have been nice gifts.)
Ah, Christmas. That time of year when young children go to bed on Christmas Eve knowing Santa Claus will find their house and leave countless gifts. Every noise they hear is reindeer landing on the roof followed by Santa placing presents under the tree. But, it wasn’t always so. Only a few people know how Santa Claus almost ruined Christmas.
I was perhaps six or seven years old. One of my sisters was born and I think my brother was as well, but he was young.
Following dinner, my Dad told Mom he had to run to a few errands and would be back shortly. I remember my mom smiling at him and telling him to hurry home – after all, it was Christmas Eve.
Mom asked my sister and me to stay in the kitchen and tell her what we wanted for Christmas. This is an important topic for a kid so we were more than happy to stay and talk.
We were going down our mental list of what we wanted for Christmas and my mom was dragging out the conversation with thought provoking question like why did we want a certain gift and what would we do with it. And that’s when it happened. . . .my sister let out a blood-curling scream and pointed at the window. I saw it and screamed - two eyes and a beard staring at us through the window.
I ran. My sister followed. We ran into the bedroom and slammed the door. My sister hid in the closet, not knowing the safest place in the house was underneath the bed up against the wall. That’s where I was.
There was more screaming and crying and then the bedroom door opened ever so slowly. My mom told us to come out and there standing next to her was. . . . Santa Claus!
Forget all those Christmas specials you’ve been watching – this was not a happy reunion between Santa and the kids. Questions like, “Why are you here already?” “Why were you looking in the kitchen window?” And, yes, even “Where are your reindeer?” All questions that needed to be answered before warming up to the guy in the red suit with the beady eyes.
Finally, peace was made and my sister and I told Santa what we wanted for Christmas. There was no way were we getting close to him. We told Santa what we wanted from across the room.
Santa left and a few minutes later, my dad returned. Boy, did we have a story to tell him.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
(Char and I want to wish all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas. I also want to thank you for the comments you have left throughout the year and for the stories you have shared on your site – those have been nice gifts.)
Ah, Christmas. That time of year when young children go to bed on Christmas Eve knowing Santa Claus will find their house and leave countless gifts. Every noise they hear is reindeer landing on the roof followed by Santa placing presents under the tree. But, it wasn’t always so. Only a few people know how Santa Claus almost ruined Christmas.
I was perhaps six or seven years old. One of my sisters was born and I think my brother was as well, but he was young.
Following dinner, my Dad told Mom he had to run to a few errands and would be back shortly. I remember my mom smiling at him and telling him to hurry home – after all, it was Christmas Eve.
Mom asked my sister and me to stay in the kitchen and tell her what we wanted for Christmas. This is an important topic for a kid so we were more than happy to stay and talk.
We were going down our mental list of what we wanted for Christmas and my mom was dragging out the conversation with thought provoking question like why did we want a certain gift and what would we do with it. And that’s when it happened. . . .my sister let out a blood-curling scream and pointed at the window. I saw it and screamed - two eyes and a beard staring at us through the window.
I ran. My sister followed. We ran into the bedroom and slammed the door. My sister hid in the closet, not knowing the safest place in the house was underneath the bed up against the wall. That’s where I was.
There was more screaming and crying and then the bedroom door opened ever so slowly. My mom told us to come out and there standing next to her was. . . . Santa Claus!
Forget all those Christmas specials you’ve been watching – this was not a happy reunion between Santa and the kids. Questions like, “Why are you here already?” “Why were you looking in the kitchen window?” And, yes, even “Where are your reindeer?” All questions that needed to be answered before warming up to the guy in the red suit with the beady eyes.
Finally, peace was made and my sister and I told Santa what we wanted for Christmas. There was no way were we getting close to him. We told Santa what we wanted from across the room.
Santa left and a few minutes later, my dad returned. Boy, did we have a story to tell him.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
posted by Ralph at 10:04 AM
18 Comments:
That's a good story Ralph! It's amazing how things seem to us when we are children!
Merry Christmas to you and Char!!
Merry Christmas, Ralph, to you and yours.
That is a good story. Kids are so often afraid. Last year my grandson told his mom to go meet Santa down the street. He didn't want him coming into the house.
A good story Ralph, let me take this chance to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
That's one of those precious Christmas memory that finds one smiling. Merry Christmas and a blessed 2010 to the entire Campbell family.
The Merriest of Christmas wishes to you and to Char and all your family!
Santa Claus can be a very intimidating fellow at times but sure makes for some good stories.
LOL!!!! That is so funny I couldn't stop laughing!
You and your sister must have been terrified. HAHAHAHA! I have a wicked sense of humor.
My son and I terrified two of my little grandsons by running around and around their house one dark Christmas Eve. My son was jingling bells and I was flashing a flashlight with a red cloth over it. (Rudolph's nose) What freaked out the little ones was when my son found a hoe and banged it on the roof. The kidlets screamed for a long time and were afraid to go to sleep.
That's one Christmas none of us will forget.
A blessed Christmas to you and your family.
Was that video taped and aired on America's Funniest Home Videos? I think I saw it. LOL!
It is kind of creepy once you think about it. A bearded man in a red suit, a giant Easter bunny, a tooth fairy, little naked cherubs shooting arrows, - heck, it's Halloween all year long.
Great story, Ralph. That never happened to me as a child but when I got older I played Santa in full dress along with a huge pillow for my two nephews. One was scared, one wasn't. Go figure.
Merry Christmas, Ralph and Char!
Wow, that is neat. Not too many people have Santa come to their house for a personal visit.
I am jealous.
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I think I remember reading this a couple of years ago... it is one of those stories that never gets old! Too bad they didn't have a home movie made of it!
(They DID have cameras back then, didn't they?)
Love that story! Merry Christmas to you, Char, and all of your family. :0)
A great story--again!
Gloria and I wish you and Char a merry, merry Christmas with too many blessings to count.
It's been a great year here at your blog. We're looking forward to more of your delightful posts.
A great story, Ralph.
Hope you and Char had a great Christmas. See ya soon, friend!
Great story Ralph! Santa can be terrifying to children, but the wonder in their eyes when they realize that magical moment. Thanks for sharing all of your great memories throughout the year too! YOu truly giv US the gift of friendship. Hoping that you and yours had a Merry CHristmas. Hoping that you and yours have a blessed 2010!
Merry Christmas Ralph! I hope you're taking time to slow down and enjoy the holiday!
Ralph ~ While this is a cute story... we had a similar one, but it was when one of our neighbors decided he'd help out Santa and came to see OUR kids. I noticed that Santa, had a "bag on" but it wasn't over his shoulder. This is the same guy who used to shoot off his pistol every New Years Eve (UNTIL) I yoke up on New Years Day morning with a hole on my roof and my ceiling with a 45 caliber bullet lying on the floor about a foot away from where my head was laying on the bead. That very morning we had a talk and it never happened again. I hope that you and Char had a wonderful Christmas and that no children were left hiding under their beds in the process? ~ jb///
HAPPY NEW YEAR, RALPH AND CHAR!
I do hope you are snuggled in. That is my advice to the midwesterners, watch the pipes, pets and people so nothing freezes in this so, so, cold weather now.
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Well, now it's time to say Happy New Year, Ralph and Char!
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