by Lakeisha Harrod

Created on: November 22, 2008

Christmas is just around the corner, and I'd like to share my favorite Christmas memory; especially with the kids. It is an important holiday for children of all ages, but we get our most delightful reflections when we are very young children or celebrating as adults with children. My recollection happened when I was about six or seven years old. My mother reminds me of it about every three to four years at family gatherings, because it is her favorite Christmas memory when she was raising me.

One Christmas Eve, I was so hyper. Well, I was an energetic child anyway, but this particular night I was overexcited. The thrill of Santa Claus coming made me so happy and so curious, because I wanted to see what he looked like. I already saw him and sat on his knee at the mall, but I wanted to see him arrive in the fireplace after coming through the chimney at my house! I wanted to see if his plush, red and white suit would be covered in big black spots from all the chimney dust like on Mary Poppins! It had to be dirty in there! Mama kept informing me that I had to go to sleep so he could come, but I thought that maybe I might be able to catch a glimpse of him. I insisted on leaving out milk & cookies for him, and then I fell asleep on the couch in the living room.

When I woke up, I was in my mother's bed. I guess she had carried me upstairs without waking me up. Then, in a split second, I heard the sound of real bells jingling. Could this be for real? Sleigh bells? Are those sleigh bells I hear? I quickly hopped out of bed to lift the shade in my mom's room. I cupped my hands to the glass to see outside the window. I peered to the sky, but saw no Santa Claus. No reindeer, and no sleigh. But I knew I heard those sleigh bells. Santa must be hiding so I can't see him, I thought.

On Christmas morning, I woke up in my bed, in my room. But this didn't look like my room. Of course when I was a child I didn't know anything about bedroom decor, but if I can remember correctly the primary colors of my bedroom set were blue and white. This bedroom that resembled my own had rainbows all over the curtains, and the bedspread, and the sheets! Santa knew I loved rainbows. I liked all the pretty colors. I'd always draw them in school with paints, crayons, and markers. I kept skimming around my room, observing the beautiful rainbows on the solid, white backgrounds of my sheets and curtains. All this was mine! I couldn't believe it!

I ran into my mama's room. "Mama, mama! Wake up! Wake up! Santa Claus came here last night!" Mommy tried to hide the huge, kool-aid grin on her face and the burst of excitement and appreciation in her heart, but as an adult I know it was there. "Ma, look what Santa Claus did to my room!" I was so excited! I knew Santa came to my room while I was sleeping and spread his magic.

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