He IS Real!

Here is our Christmas Story. Last night we were having family home evening with the Bedke’s and Bell’s – Stephen’s were unable to make it. We just had a lesson on Christmas – Michael taught about the Nativity scene and then I talked about how Santa came to be and then tied it together using Polar Express – that the true spirit of Christmas is up to you to believe – both in Santa and in Christ. To be honest this year has been a conflict with myself – I have always wanted to teach my kids about the truth about Santa – that there isn’t really a man who goes around to everybody’s house delivering toys to all the girls and boys, but I Do teach them that Santa was a man, or rather a saint who gave generously, and to believe in the spirit and magic of Christmas. But this year I have noticed that in spite of my meager attempts, the boys still believe in Santa and I have been trying to decide whether to let them continue on in like manner or to try to set them straight. In the meantime I have never begrudged anyone else to teach their kids about Santa and I have actually supported it by making statements like, “I STILL get a gift from Santa” – which I do at my parent’s house.

So after the lesson, we closed and then started singing Christmas carols – one of my favorite parts of the season and it isn’t the same to just have Marc and I sing by ourselves. At one point Kylee got up to sing, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” I was admiring her for how brave she was and what a good job Rose Marie had done to instill such confidence in her – when she sang the words, “Do you hear what I hear?” there was a knock at the door. I went to answer it and there stood a man who invited us out to listening to the carolers. I stepped out and there was a huge semi trailer full of what I assume to be the singles branch singing – I thought how perfect that they knocked on our door because we had extra people – so there would be more people to enjoy their lovely efforts. Everybody came out and the kids were relishing it. Especially seeing as how we had just sang those songs. They had stopped singing and we were about to go in when the fellow who had beckoned us whispered that he thought that we were to have a visitor – that perhaps we should stay out. In a moment here came Santa Claus and I hailed the kids again to see him come – with him were several people carrying bags of gifts. I thought, “Oh, what fun!! They brought a gift to give to all of the kids – that is so nice!” Santa approached the door and just continued right on into the house along with all of his helpers – at that moment is when I caught a glimpse of an abnormally large gift and on it was Michael’s name. That is when I was struck. I said, “Wait, this isn’t a random stop – (to Marc) this is an intentional stop – that gift has Michael’s name on it!” From this point on Marc and I were in a state of awe. After everyone had come into the house I stepped in myself to see that Santa had found a seat and had already acquired a seat guest. Wade was telling him about how he wanted a Nerf gun and Santa explained how he was definitely pro-gun. I was handed a couple of gift certificates “for the adults” as I watched Michael sit on Santa’s other knee.

Ten I realized that there was a whole bag if gifts for my kids and upon closer inspection I noticed that that WHOLE bag was all to Scotty, I also noticed that there were 2 more bags and a box of food – that is when I started to float about and I was thinking, ‘No!! This can’t be – this is too much! This can’t be for Marc and I, we don’t need this, we don’t deserve this.” I was now officially overwhelmed. That was when they took their que to leave. So Santa took his 7 helpers with him and left. I would ask the reader how you would respond. How can you possible express your feelings of gratitude and amazement to people who were in your home for a whole 5 minutes. I shook their hands and gave them hugs thanking each one – Michael ran after Santa to tell him, “Thank you for coming to see us!” And all of the kids proclaimed after them, “Merry Christmas!” “Merry Christmas!” “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Marc and I sat in a state of stupor – I didn’t even know what to say to our guests. There were more gifts in one of those bags than what we had ever bought for all of our boys all of the years combined of their lives. This year I was feeling bad that I had only gotten each one of them one gift and then one to all of them. Now I felt that we had too much – but how can you tell the people who were so generous and thoughtful that it was too much and to take some of it back. That we had already felt blessed enough to have what we needed – that there had to be someone much more deserving – like the family that was in our house at that very moment. Rose Marie – who had to live everyday w/ Stuart in Afghanistan – a world away – they didn’t have the most precious blessing of having all of their family together and here we had everything that was most important to us and somehow our names showed up on a list to get this immense outpouring of Christmas spirit. I’m afraid that our inability to conjure up a decent conversation w/ our company triggered them to excuse themselves to go home. My boys shared their stocking booty and I grabbed a package of crackers out of the box and gave them to Rose Marie. She said that I should keep it, that we deserved it because we always gave to others and that she felt bad that she didn’t have something herself to give us. I almost wanted to take it back because it was like offering a penny to a millionaire – such a pitiful gift, but I insisted that she keep it – if for nothing else than out of guilt because we had been given so much. I had wanted to give her the whole box, but I knew that she would scoff @ me and be near offended.

After everyone left I remembered that I had to go get Bradley some medicine – so I left Marc in the midst of the boys wound up in the spirit of generosity and went myself to Smith’s. This time alone allowed me some time to think. My foremost question was, “Why?” Why was our name on a list – someone made a mistake or misunderstood our circumstances – I mean look at the presents that were under our tree – granted only three of them belonged to us, but we felt blessed that we had enough to get presents for others. How could Heavenly Father allow them to do such an immense act for us when we were certain that there were others that were more deserving both in “lack of circumstance” or in “spirit of giving”. It was then that I started to review the evening again in my mind. It occurred to me how handy it was that this had happened tonight – he night that we had just taught about believing – believing in the spirit of Christmas. It also came to my memory how the knock on the door had come just as Kylee had sang, “Do you hear what I hear?”. In the church we are not taught to believe in coincidences, that such incidents are actually blessing in disguise. Elder Bednar terms them to be “tender mercies” and tender mercies come directly from God – not through the accidents of man, but through their ability to act upon promptings of the spirit. We were meant to be the family of that act, but what is it that Heavenly Father intended that this should do for us? What should we learn from this gift? By this time I had reached the store and walked in and it was blaring Christmas music – every song that came over the speaker had a truer more pure meaning to me, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Through tears I walked the aisles in a blur trying to locate items that I had wanted to pick up – wanting to declare that it truly was the most wonderful time of the year.

In line I saw Tad Richmond – I was just chatting when he asked if we were ready for Christmas – I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy as I exclaimed, “Yes!” and then ran through what had happened – I could see that though he grasped the story that there was no way that he could understand the miracle that had taken place. The miracle was not the gifts – it didn’t matter if we ever opened the presents, it was the act of the gift that wrought the miracle – my ability to not just believe in Jesus, but to believe in Christmas and the spirit of giving – the true spirit of Santa – which was truly to believe in the spirit of Christ and his love for each one of us. I always thought that I understood that before – that was why I had wanted to lean away from the commercial Santa image. That is why I had taught my kids only about of the spirit of Christ and left the magic of Christmas for others to glean off of. I tried to create my own magic through fun holiday traditions in the home. Heavenly Father wanted us –or rather me – to learn how hearts truly can be changed through this spirit. I only felt bad that it had to take such a huge experience to get it across to me. We weren’t in need of the presents that were brought through the door that were wrapped in paper and bows but the gifts that was delivered from heart to heart - not that which was sung with words for all to hear, but was whispered to this heart – “we wish you a merry Christmas”.

At bedtime we always take turns to share what we are thankful for each day. A part of me dreaded that the boys would be just focused on the pile of gifts at the tree. So I asked Marc to go first in hopes that he would set the right mood. “I am thankful that we were able to have a nice family home evening w/ Rose Marie, her kids, and the Bell’s and that Heavenly Father is watching out for us and answers prayers.” Michael – “I am thankful that we were able to sing songs and get presents from the fake Santa Claus and when those people sang to us – that was nice.” The term “fake Santa Claus” stabbed Marc and I. Marc responded that that Santa was as good as the real one. Michael, “yeah but that was just a costumed Santa” “Yes, but that was the real thing.” Scotty – “ I am thankful to have Lily could come to our house – and Wade (remember an almost 3 yr old speaking)” My fears were unrealized – my boys hearts were focused on the important parts, but after their responses – we believe in Santa in this home – he may be costumed and he may go home to someplace in Burley or wherever it is that you live, but we believe in Santa. I believe in gifts of the spirit and that the spirit of Christ – whether it comes through the Holy Ghost or the image of a man in red has to ability to change and inspire hearts to be and do better. “Go, and do thou likewise (Luke 10:37).”

Merry Christmas!!