—
One memorable Christmas Eve when we were pre-schoolers, my sister Laura and I spent the night at our grandparents’ house. At bedtime, Grandma told us to “settle down on the back porch,” a small, 4-season enclosure just off the kitchen. The room was barely big enough to contain a small sofa facing a picture window to the backyard. The almost-full moon was so bright that I hardly noticed when Grandma turned off the lights and told us to sit still and watch for Santa and his reindeer. She reminded us that he can see how we are behaving, so we had better be quiet and still. We watched silently, waiting in full belief we would soon see him. Laura, one year younger than I, soon fell asleep. I, on the other hand, would not miss the possible treat of seeing Santa.
Grandma and Grandpa went to their room for the night. The house was quiet but my eyelids were still wide open in anticipation! Suddenly, from the right middle of the picture window, I saw the flying reindeer pulling Santa and his sleigh toward the direction of the upper left of the picture window, clipping the moon! Of course, I didn’t want to wake everybody to tell them or Santa would know that I was being naughty, so I gasped, held my mouth covered, and watched in astonishment! I decided I had better close my eyes and pretend to sleep in case Santa would be coming to our house next. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, and woke up the next morning to our Christmas tree flowing with presents!
Yes, I’m now a grown woman of sound mind and I realize this story is rather fantastic. It is, however, just as I remember it from my 4-ish-year-old, first-hand memory! Maybe I had a colorful imagination back then, or maybe I was visualizing an animated film I had seen on television. Or maybe, just maybe, I actually glimpsed Santa Claus in flight that memorable Christmas Eve!
—
A version of this post was originally published on the author’s blog and is republished here with permission.
—
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join like-minded individuals in The Good Men Project Premium Community.
◊♦◊
◊♦◊
Get the best stories from The Good Men Project delivered straight to your inbox, here.
◊♦◊
◊♦◊
Sign up for our Writing Prompts email to receive writing inspiration in your inbox twice per week.
♦◊♦
We have pioneered the largest worldwide conversation about what it means to be a good man in the 21st century. Your support of our work is inspiring and invaluable.
The Good Men Project is an Amazon.com affiliate. If you shop via THIS LINK, we will get a small commission and you will be supporting our Mission while still getting the quality products you would have purchased, anyway! Thank you for your continued support!
—
Photo credit: Getty Images