Christmas Magic

by Heather © 2001

Emily watched her youngest child dance around the room telling her brothers all about how Santa Claus would be coming that night.  Lark had a bright happy look on her face.  A child’s care free look that only a four year old can carry.  The twins Noah and Hunter sat at the table finishing their homework.  They shared a skeptical look.  They were almost 11 years old.  Much too old they thought to believe in Santa.  Emily glanced hopefully out the window hoping that her husband had changed his mind.  Emily had tried to talk him into dressing up again this year, but he had told her the children were getting too old for it. 

There was a knock on the door.  That’s odd, Emily thought, I didn’t hear a horse coming. Worried that it might be some traveler caught out on this cold night she rushed to open the door.  Who walked in but Santa himself.  Emily looked carefully over Ike’s old costume, he had much better pillows than he had last year and the beard seemed to fit him better as well.  She smiled when he winked at her and then he turned as little Lark rushed into his open arms. 

“SANTA!!!” she shouted.

‘Santa’ quickly lifted the small child up in his arms.  The two boys rose from their place at the table but stayed far away.

“That’s not Santa,” Noah said grumpily, “That’s just Dad again trying to fool us.”

“No it’s not, it’s Santa Claus I know he is.”

“Alright then…” Hunter said siding with his brother, “If you’re Santa then say something… anything.”

‘Santa set the child back on the ground and faced the young boys.  But he said nothing.

“See I told ya.” Noah said laughing.

“Yeah!” Hunter said as they ran off grabbing their coats as they ran outside for a snowball fight.

‘Santa’ watched them go and then sat down in a nearby chair.

Lark walked over to stand next to her sad friend.  “I don’t care what they say.  I know it’s  you.”

‘Santa’ smiled and pulled the young girl into his lap.  He leaned down and whispered “Merry Christmas” right in her ear. 

She jumped to her feet to give Santa a big hug but when she turned around he was gone.

“Momma Santa’s gone!” she shouted. 

Emily turned from her cooking but her husband was nowhere in sight.  Suddenly she heard a horse approaching.  She ran to the window in time to see Ike arriving on his horse.  He stepped down and signed a greeting to his sons but they stood there shocked and didn’t reply.  He walked past them and into the house and gave his wife a kiss on the forehead but she too stood speechless.  Lark ran into his arms shouting.  “Santa came! Santa came!” Ike smiled and kissed his youngest on the top of the head.  He lifted her onto his shoulder and they stared out the window at the beautiful stars and Lark swore she could hear bells ringing.  <<Merry Christmas>> he signed. 

Merry Christmas to the young and the young at heart.

THE END