When Santa Comes To Visit

by Charlotte Savage

It is the day before Christmas. On the first floor of this three story home there lives a family with two children, a blond curly haired three year old boy named Noah and his two week old baby sister. On the third floor lives a young couple with their newly born daughter.

“Mama, can I go upstairs and see Gina’s baby?” asked Noah.

“Let’s call her and ask.” said Noah’s mom Sarah.

Gina‘s response was not what Sarah expected. “Sarah, you have a baby in your own crib, why does Noah want to see my baby?”

“Because Noah is bored watching her sleep. Deborah sleeps all day and is colicky most of the night.”

“Send him up and you try to get some rest. Meanwhile, Noah can help me trim my Christmas tree.”

Sarah listened for Noah to reach Gina’s door on the third floor and heard her welcome him before closing her own door.

It didn’t take long for Sarah’s phone to ring. It was Gina. “Is something wrong?” asked Sarah, “I hope Noah didn’t break anything.”

“No, everything is fine” said Gina, “but I have a little boy here who is trimming his first Christmas tree. I told him the story of Santa Claus coming down the chimney and bringing presents for everyone. Now Noah wants to know why Santa Claus doesn’t visit his house. He wants to leave some of your cookies and milk out for Santa tonight. He thinks Santa will visit him too.”

Sarah laughingly replied, “What would Noah know about Christmas? In our house we celebrate Chanukah.”

“Sarah, is there any reason why Santa Claus can’t fill Noah’s stocking if he hung it on my tree?”

“None whatsoever, Gina, thank you for asking. Tell Noah he can come down now and get his stocking.” Just then the baby woke up crying and Sarah warmed a bottle for her.

Noah returned all excited. "Mom, Santa Claus is coming to visit tonight and Gina and I are going to put out cookies and milk for him. I'm going to hang my stocking on her tree."

While Sarah fed Deborah her bottle she listened as Noah went into his bedroom and then into hers. She was about to ask Noah what he was doing in her bedroom when he called out that he was going back upstairs to hang his stocking.

With Noah out of the apartment Sarah called her husband and asked him to buy a few toys to put under Gina’s tree and candy to fill his stocking.

Just as she hung up the phone, it rang again. On the other end of the line she heard laughter, “Hello,” said Sarah, “who is this?” More chuckling was heard and then Gina said, “Sorry, but this is so funny that I can’t stop laughing.” Sarah heard Gina take a deep breath and then she came back on the phone.

 “Sarah, you have to tell me the truth, did you give Noah the stocking he just hung on my Christmas tree or did he pick it out all by himself?”

“He took it by himself while I was feeding the baby,” Sarah said, “why do you ask?”

“Well, Noah came back upstairs with this huge ski stocking, the kind that comes up over your pants to keep the snow out. When I asked him why his stocking was so big he said he brought his daddy’s stocking because it would hold more!"

“Listen, Sarah, this is one smart kid you have here."

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to hang up now. I want to call my family and tell them about this little Jewish boy who has Christmas all figured out. It's going to be a very Merry Christmas!"

copyright 2014 Charlotte Savage all rights reserved.