Santa's Happy Accident

Saturdays in December are my busiest days with several appearances scheduled.  There was a family in Saratoga Springs that I have previously done two magic shows for, but this year they wanted a Santa visit. The appearance was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. As usual I arrived about 5 minutes before so they could get me the gifts that I was to hand out.  I called just as I arrived to let him know I was out front, and his voice was a bit anxious.  He thought he had schedule me for 4:30 p.m.  I told him that was not a problem, that I would be back in a half hour.  Then I drove to a nearby street that had a field on one side and a house on the other that said, "Foreclosure/For Sale by Bank" on the other, so I thought I would be safe from people seeing me in my Santa attire.

As I sat there with my eyes closed listening to Christmas music, I had the distinct feeling that I was being watched.  I turned and looked at the "vacant" house only to see three little noses pressed against the glass door.  Doing what any respectable Santa would do, I quickly drove off.  But when my mind caught up with my car, I thought how awful it might be for those children to see Santa look at them then drive quickly away.

So I opened my stash of candy canes (every respectable Santa has one) grabbed a handful and headed back to the house.  When I pulled up to the curb, I saw a woman out front looking around.  I got out and asked if she was the mother here, to which she replied, "Are you the Santa my kids saw?"

I explained that I had a few minutes before my next appointment and asked if I could come and visit with her and her children.  She invited me right in.  I was greeted by three bouncing girls.  I noticed the meager belongings in the home and the disheveled appearance of the children. The mother told the oldest to go get Jonny.  A few moments later she came back with a young boy using forearm crutches.  I sat down and helped him onto my knee and asked what he wanted for Christmas.  He look up at me with tearful eyes and said he wanted to be able to keep their house.  I smiled and told him that I didn't think I could do that, but I would make sure he knew how much his family cared for him.  I told him that was the true spirit of Christmas.

He got down and one of his sisters climbed up and asked for a new shirt she could wear to school and a dolly.  Then each of the other two girls took a turn, one asked for warm shoes and the littlest also wanted a dolly.  At that moment I wished I had the magic to open my bag and produce the gifts they had asked for and looked like they needed, but all I had to give them were candy canes.  I handed them each one then watched as they each hung them on their sparsely decorated tree.  I wished them a Merry Christmas as I left.

I was grateful for the accident of my mixed up schedule which allowed me this opportunity to bring a little Christmas cheer into a difficult situation.

Being Santa brings sweet rewards!