Santa Claus

When he pulled up in an old Mercury Comet, I was livid.

“You were supposed to be here an hour ago!”

“There was traffic at the airport-“

“Whatever, whatever just get in there and sit down… Nice beard.”

To the guy’s credit, he was pretty good at it. Every kid walked away happy, even the ones that were led to him bawling their eyes out.

At the end, I had his pay, minus the missing hour, but he waved if off, saying something about ‘keeping his game strong’.

I was disappointed when his car didn’t fly away. Not sure why.

Saint Nicholas

Ever since, as a child, a gold coin had been pressed into my hands by the bishop as he passed, I had wanted to know how he could able to afford to help so many people?

I attended Mass every week growing up. Then I joined the order, and studied under him, making sure I was working under him whenever possible.

Eventually, I managed to piece it all together, I worked out his scheme of making the local crime lords pay up in exchange for forgiveness.

But by then I realised that he needed to be kept on a pedestal.

Saint Nick

I was expecting broken glass, maybe some fire damage, and anything metallic that had been within the church gone.

And indeed, while I did get broken glass, the candles and light fixtures were all in place, untouched. Instead, an alcove stood bare.

“Was it golden or something?”

The priest glared at me.

“Young man, as if we’d have a graven image! It was a stone statue of Saint Testia, and I can’t think of who would break in and steal it!”

I raised an eyebrow as I saw that the glass pattern indicated it was smashed from the inside out…

Father Christmas

After the divorce, we had to start bouncing back and forth for major holidays. If we spent Thanksgiving with Mother one year, next year was with Dad. Fourth of July spent fishing with Father? Next year we’d be helping out at the Veteran’s Center with Mom.

It worked out fine, I suppose, in that there was never any arguments about who got us on any specific day. We always knew where we’d be, every year.

But still, despite how good the system was, I still can’t help but wonder.

Could we have saved his life, if it was his turn?

Kris Kringle

The ringing indicated it was an internal office call, and so Jessica didn’t bother with the normal spiel.

“Yes?”

“Who got me in the Kris Kringle?”

She chuckled.

“Now Alex, you know the rules. Why, are you really that upset with your gift? I thought you liked those Japanese animated things?”

“The label was a copy, the DVD had something else on it.”

“Well OK, a ripped DVD is a bit crappy, but still-“

“It was just a video file. Of us. In the bathroom-“

Jessica blanched, and quickly dug out her file.

“Uh…. You weren’t in the Kris Kringle…”