by Nann

Created on: March 26, 2009

Christmas was a big event growing up in my house. I have many great memories but one stands out in particular. My mom did her best to make it Christmas while it was a balmy 80 degrees outside. We had a very large picture window in the front of our house. Every year she would spray canned snow flock on the window and draw a Christmas angel sitting on a branch watching over a manager scene. We got our snow, even it was from a can. One year, we even got a fake fireplace so we could hang our stockings on it for Santa. But there is a Christmas which stand outs out in my mind as a very wonderful holiday memory.

I was only 9 years old when our "Modern Santa" came knocking at our front door. When my mother answered, she was so SURPRISED to see Santa standing there saying "HO, HO, HO, Merry Christmas!" "I had to wait till I was 50 years old to see Santa at my door"! These words from my Mama echo in my heart from one of my favorite Christmas memories. One evening while watching TV in our living room, we got a wonderful visit from Santa Claus. Even better he new her NAME! (certain she was on the "Good"list). I stood behind her to the side of the door trying to figure who this could be? Hmmm?

The conversation reflected back and forth between these two nostalgic people who seem to have a common thread of childhood memories of coming through the Depression Era with only a piece of cardboard in their shoe for a sole and a sock for a stocking to hang up for Santa to fill with hard candy. (we can only hope these were clean ones for Santa!) But I was completely enchanted by their stories. Then the BIG REVEAL! It was our church bus driver! Perfect Santa! (Of course he was not driving the bus as his SLEIGH but none the less he was hoofing it!) My mom teased him by asking where Santa's sleigh was and Rudolph? He replied "that it wasn't Christmas Eve yet"clever. We had the best Christmas that year! My mom called all her sisters to ask if they had a visit from Santa? And of course when they said "No?" she laughed and said they had been "too naughty" that year, because Santa just knocked at HER door!

I remember my mother going to church more that year since our church bus driver reached out to our family, he was such a gracious man and I will always be thankful for how he blessed my Mama that Christmas. This was my Mama's heart song. We could see it in her countenance and hear it in her laugh each time she shared that story and I always laughed with her because it tickled her so!

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