The Christmas there was no Santa (True Story)

The Christmas There Was No Santa

It was Christmas Eve, I must have been six or seven years old, and my whole family was staying in a cabin we had rented at Sun River. The cabin was two and a half stories; there was a loft on the second floor making up the half story. There were carolers singing outside as it was snowing, so Christmas was definitely upon us. The only lights were the gentle glow of the Christmas tree lights, the distant light from the kitchen, and the warm aurora of the television. All I could hear was the laughter of the adults from the other room, the electronic music of the Nintendo, and the soothing roar of the river. My cousins and I were playing Nintendo, “Top Gun” I think, while the adults were drinking and gambling in the other room. As I watched my cousins play Nintendo, I could smell ham, turkey, and pumpkin pie. Dinner was imminent and I was a really picky eater, so I was only interested in the pie. I knew after dinner I’d get to open presents, so I was also looking forward to that.

Dinner was quick and painless, and the pie was good. Then it was time for presents. My family opens all the gifts from family on Christmas Eve and then the big presents, the ones from Santa, we open on Christmas morning. After all the presents were in piles in front each person, the opening commenced. The only present I remember getting that night was a bunch of modeling clay I got from my grandma, and I remember getting mad at my cousins for using it as thumb tac to put up posters in their room. What a waste.

After we finished opening the gifts, it was time for my cousins and I to go to bed, but before bed, we had to make sure there were cookies and milk set out for Santa. Then upstairs we went to get in our sleeping bags. The boys slept on the floor, and the girls slept up in the loft with their precious posters and my clay. Like every Christmas Eve, we were told “The Night Before Christmas,” then we went to sleep. I was way too excited to sleep. I was up even later than the adults, but eventually I fell asleep.

I was awakened in the middle of the night by some sort of clatter downstairs. I was laying near the balcony, so I inched my way over to the edge. I was still adjusting to the light, but I could make out a round figure down by the milk and cookies. I first realized something was wrong when I noticed the figure wasn’t wearing red. Then I noticed something else, that person down there wasn’t Santa Claus, it was my aunt! What was she doing eating Santa’s cookies, and drinking his milk? I watched her continue to carry out Santa’s work, and I wondered why would she be doing Santa’s Job? I was still tired, so I fell right back asleep not even thinking about what I had just witnessed.

I woke up at about seven or eight, and of course my dad, my uncles and my grandpa were already awake, up with the sun no doubt. All the presents from so-called “Santa” were all set out, and I got just what I asked for. I got a little play McDonald’s kitchen. It was really cool. Since I was the youngest, I was the first one up, besides the dads, so I had some time to play before anyone could want to play with my new toy. Eventually everyone woke up and found their presents.

I never thought about the existence of Santa until that Christmas. I always knew he lived up at the north pole, had eight reindeer, sometimes nine, and he brought me presents every year if I was good. Then I had to wake up in the middle of the night and see the horrible, horrible truth. Santa was just an elaborate scheme designed to get me to be good all year long, and to fear his wrath of getting coal as a gift. Santa is still real to many gullible children, but not to me. I was ruined of that wonderful lie at a far too young age.

# posted by Zach Attack @ 11:32 AM