Overheard . . . in line to see Santa

“I guarantee you, when you are 25 you’ll be looking back on this and saying, “what was I thinking?’”

Or…. The poor high school student, whose mother was off pouting about something she had said hours ago and whose father had been haranguing her for the entire hour we were in line to see Santa, might be surrounded by her four close friends, preparing for Christmas in her own little apartment, thinking, ‘Wow!  I never knew Christmas could feel like this.’

I have noticed that Christmas is a time when adults turn to children again. Sometimes this is a good thing, like when we are excited by the decorations or lick the spoon from the fudge (something I did last night. :>) But sometimes it is a regression into behaviors more suited to a six year old, like fixating on an ideal of what we wanted to happen, rather than enjoying the moment we are actually living.

As each silent tear fell from this young adult’s eyes I prayed that Santa would be able to bring some Christmas cheer back into her life. I wished that she could have her own, personal moment with Santa, like the sacrament of reconciliation at my Catholic church, to know that even in the dark moments of her life when she feels most alone and hopeless, she is loved and cherished.

I’m not sure what ended up happening. The family followed us in, still frowning and angry at one another, the daughter still with bright eyes. But I was busy, enraptured in the moment of joy between my daughter and Santa, solid in my knowledge that someday, 25 years from now or longer, we would all have our own, private and lovely, memory of this visit to Santa.

What are your favorite memories of Christmas? Was it a time of peace or strife in your family? I love to hear from my readers, so leave me a comment. All comments entered onto any of my blogs during the month of December will enter you in a drawing to win $10 to the non-political charity of your choice. Check back at the end of the month to see if you won.

Happy Holidays!
Deanne