When I was a very small boy, my mother tucked me in on Christmas Eve...

[WilliamPitt]

...and ordered me, upon pain of Santa's vast disapproval, to stay put. I did as I was told, but tried very hard to stay awake so I could hear him arrive. I didn't last long...but at some point that night, I awoke to hear heavy footfalls across what sounded like the roof. Not long after, I heard my mother speaking to someone in hushed tones from the living room, and the tinkle of ice in a glass.

...the footfalls...the hushed talk...the glass...Mom gave Santa a drink of water! She was talking to Santa by the chimney!

The footfalls, of course, were my mother stomping across the attic right above my bedroom. The tinkle of ice in the glass was her own scotch, and the hushed conversation was the last part of the show. It worked; I believed, and a few lingering atoms in my soul still do, and I can't wait to run that same scam on my baby daughter Lola when she is old enough to appreciate it. Because it was perfect. Just perfect.

A wise friend told me that after her kids stopped believing in Santa, she sat them down and said they should still believe, because "Santa" is another word for a parent's love for their children. I plan intently on deploying that line as well, when the time comes.

Merry Christmas Eve, all. My very beloved best to you and yours.

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. Merry Christmas Eve to you Mr. Pitt and thanks for sharing that wonderful memory...

I sincerely hope tomorrow brings much joy to you and your family.

Can't wait to cook the big ass Prime Rib that's out in the garage, and taste the Honey Baked Ham.

Thanks again for sharing.

[WilliamPitt]

5. Merry Christmas, old friend

and thank you. Thank you. You know why.

Thank you.

[Frustratedlady]

2. We did something similar for the last 51 years.

and it was so much fun for all parties involved.

We had antique sleigh bells of one of the grandparents and after the Christmas Eve meal, one of the men would sneak outside, stomp across the deck at the back of the house ho-ho-ho'g all the way, then leave a sack of gifts outside the door.

To see the huge eyes on each child as they were running in place because they were too excited to move forward or backward was a sight to behold. This "game" has been played with our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and they all have LOVED it enough to pass it on to their children.

As stated on one post on Facebook the other day..."When you no longer believe in Santa Claus, you get underwear."

Merry Christmas to you and your family. You'll enjoy Christmas even more through the eyes of your child.

[Downwinder]

3. I had a similar experience.

What she didn't know was that I had a flashlight under my pillow.
The stockings were hung in my room with care.
When I heard a noise I caught Santa's helper filling the stockings.
It was still a very merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas Eve.

[elleng]

4. Thank you for this lovely remembrance, WilliamPitt.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. To Will and all the Pitts, especially the little Pitts

Especially the little ones . . . because tomorrow is their day.

God bless them, every one.

[eridani]

7. As the Zen masters always say

First there is a Santa Claus.
Then there is no Santa Claus.
Then there is.

[Hekate]

9. Perfect, eridani

[cantbeserious]

8. All The Best To You And Yours

eom

[SoapBox]

10. Thank you for the nice post.

I was so frustrated tonight...no ornaments on the tree...no cards out...no gifts wrapped...I have been so agitated today as there has just been no time to get things done, for a number of reasons.

But...finally let some of it go (I'm not happy but moving on)...am now wrapping a few things (as compared to my threat to just dump stuff under the tree and say the heck with it) as I might have 45 minutes to myself.

This was a lovely post and in my "late mid life male crisis phase" I still want to believe in Santa.

[840high]

11. Merry Xmas to you and yours.

[jwirr]

12. Thank you Will, that made me smile. My dad always added a little teaser: He was going to trap

Santa and keep him there so we could see him the next morning! Unfortunately my dad was not a very good trapper.

[BlueJazz]

13. William, you say the coolest things.

[FailureToCommunicate]

14. Thanks, Will, for putting into your fine words what we felt as well. My mom would

also leave a few cookies - "for Santa"- and carrots for the reindeer...all of which showed signs of being nibbled the next morning.

But, yeah, "Santa" was really just code for their love and attentiveness.

We are trying now to live up to the simple, loving and steadfast ways of our parents, the Greatest Generation...


Merry Christmas.

[antigop]

15. Beautiful. Thanks. K&R. nt

[SheilaT]

16. When my sons were young,

we'd put out special food for the reindeer, so they'd be sure to stop at our house.

It was uncooked Quaker oats, mixed with some glitter. And it always worked.

That was as elaborate as I ever got for the whole Santa theater, but I love what your mom did and the other stories already posted.

[Ryan Fitzomething]

17. Listen Closely!

It's "believed," not "believe." But the essence of the song is Pure Truth: We only get what we give!

Have a good one!

[malthaussen]

18. Is the thought of a unicorn a real thought?

Certain metaphors are so useful, it would be stupid to do away with them.

Merry Christmas!

-- Mal

[DinahMoeHum]

19. What Dickens said about Christmas and children. . .

from A Christmas Carol:

(He was referring to Fred and his friends enjoying their parlor games and singing)

For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.



Merry Christmas to your beautiful Lola.



P.S. When Lola grows up, tell her that the original Santa was the Orthodox Christian bishop
St. Nicholas of Myra. His story is far more fascinating than the commercial North Pole crap.

[Taitertots]

20. We would go to a family Christmas party on Christmas Eve..

My Mom would rush us out to the car and act like we were waiting for Dad. He would quickly put all the presents under the tree and run out like we were running late.

All the presents were there when we got back and they would say "Oh, Santa got here before we got back"

[Bluzmann57]

21. Thank you sir

And a very Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. Neat story.

[Ilsa]

22. My teenage son still talks about Santa as if he's real.

Of course he knows he's not, but he enjoys the magic of believing.

[mahina]

23. aloha Will, best to you and your family.

thanks for the great family story!

[jeff47]

24. And being these modern times, there's an App for that.

http://gizmodo.com/this-cool-app-could-help-convince-kids-santa-is-real-1672663756

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

25. It's bittersweet, the whole Santa thing

You want them to have that fantasy, yet at the same time you hate being involved in a conspiracy to lie to your kids and fuel a fantasy that will one day shock them that the people they most trusted had perpetuated this cruel hoax upon their innocence.

[Zorra]

26. I developed a multiple personality disorder because my parents lied to me about Santa.

Merry Easter!

Sincerely,
The Christmas Bunny