I was certain they would approve it. I felt it in my heart. So when I went to the meeting I went with a warm feeling inside and for some reason felt if this happened it would be a glorious event.
My name doesn’t matter. Let me just say I am one of thousands who have returned to school at a later time in my life. And while there I chose to take advantage of what was being offered to me, and tried to give back as much as I can. I excelled in school. Obtained the trust and friendship of my fellow students in that small Iowa college. And my senior year was elected president of the student government there. Among my duties was to guide the government in distribution of funds to school clubs and activities. We were also responsible for special activities and event we chose to sponsor.
The face of the student population had change in my few years there. At that time in Iowa the economy was changing, and many industries were downsizing and even relocating from the state. Welfare reform had allowed many single parents the opportunity to get an education, and to train themselves and better themselves. So what resulted was a student population that was becoming older.
The student government had been trying to decide on a holiday event for the students that would be for all the students young and old . After much thought I had come up with an idea, that I was to present to the government at our meeting. I checked into our finances, and then with our faculty advisor and had found what I wanted to do was very possible, So that afternoon after all other business was concluded, and we were discussing a project for the holidays I made my pitch.
What I wanted to do was have a holiday carnival. Plan it for the last week of school before Christmas break. Children of older students and brothers and sisters of younger students were to be invited to attend. We would hold it in our gym, We would design and build the games for it. We had plenty of funding to buy prizes for the games, and the company that ran the student lounge food bar offered to feed all that attended the event. So when I presented to the idea to the government they liked it. But they took it one step farther. They wanted to have Santa Claus there to talk with the kids who attended. After little discussion it was decided that the government would approve the project with one stipulation, that I be Santa.
eing a labor of love the students dug in and went beyond what I ever expected. We had games and prize enough for all. And they had even wrote letters to local department store managers, and we had donations of toys for Santa to give out as well. IT was decided Santa’s workshop was to be at the entrance of the building for any child and parent to speak with Santa, We Had boxes of toys for the girls and boys each separated by the sex of the child. Some were for young toddlers and some for older kids. So we felt we could give every child at least one gift that they would love.
The day arrived and the people came . We kept a count of students attending and out of a school with 2000 students 800 were there, with either their own children or their brothers and sisters, or the child of a friend. Kids ran and laughed and played the games, loving the simple small prizes that they won. And after the crowd had been fed a meal of hot dogs and chips and ice cream and sodas it was time for Santa to open his workshop. As they wandered back into the gym area from the lounge bellies filled with ice cream and hot dogs I waited for a line to form so they could visit with Santa.
I sat on my chair on a stage decorated with Christmas trees and lights,
and of course had my elfin helpers to bring the kids to me. There were boxes of gifts so I was sure every child would leave happy, and was proud of what we had done for,the kids, But one girl, one little girl, was to leave me that night with a feeling of dread. A feeling that all had been for nothing, a helpless feeling that I hated to feel.
It all started fine, kids telling Santa how good they had been and telling him what they wanted for Christmas. Each child smiled as I handed them a gift, their eyes beaming in the wonder of meeting Santa. I felt so good felt the true wonder and feeling that the thought of Santa gives to a child. But then a young girl, no more than six years old holding the hand of her mother approached me.
I sat her on my lap and asked her name.
“Sarah”, she replied in glee.
“Well Sarah have you been a good girl this year?” I asked her.
She smiled and happily told me yes. So I told her that if her mommy and daddy told Santa the same thing, that Santa would leave a present for her on Christmas day.
She looked at me, tears welling in her eyes, and sobbed, “Daddy doesn’t live with us anymore, He doesn’t love me.”
I was dumbfounded, did not know what to say. How do you reply to this little girl who missed her daddy. I stumbled and mumbled but finally something popped into my head. I was afraid to look at her mother, but I had to say something.
“ Well Sarah,” I stammered, “Just because your daddy doesn’t live with you doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you,. Im sure he loves you very much.”
I was lost, my whole night was ruined. I hurriedly gave her a gift
And the elf returned her to her mother. For the rest of the night inside I was hurting, unable to really feel the holiday mood.
The next day before my classes I sat with friends in the student lounge. Still sad inside for what had happened the previous night. As I sat there I noticed a woman approach me from across the lounge. As she drew closer I could see she had tears in her eyes. I recognized her as the mother of the little girl, and to keep her from causing a scene in the lounge, I led her outside and asked her what she needed. How I could help her. She looked at me and asked me if I was the man who played Santa the night before. I told her I was and was sorry for what happened. She laughed at me and hugged me tight.
: Why should you say you are sorry?” she said to me. “ If you only knew what you did for her, you wouldn’t be saying you are sorry.”
She told me what had happened after that little girl left the stage. It seemed that she and her husband had separated. They were friends but could not live together any more. When that happened the girl refused to see her father , and she refused to go and spend time with him. Her mother and father were heart broken, and didn’t know what to do. But when they left that stage that little girl tugged at her mother’s coat, and begged her to take her to see her daddy. Her mother was shocked and asked her why?
The girl replied, “Because he loves me. Santa told me he loves me and Santa wouldn’t lie to me.”
That woman grabbed me and gave me a kiss on my cheek and told me thank you, thank you Santa for the gift you have given us this Christmas.
Well I went back to that lounge smiling. And thought much about what happened that day. For it seemed a little girl was given the gift she wanted most by Santa. And in that moment I knew just what Santa was all about.
For not only was this girl given her greatest gift. She had also given three people a gift beyond compare.
To her father she gave the love of his child which he missed so much.
To her mother she gave the gift of happiness knowing her daughter would once again feel safe and whole.
But most of all she had given one simple human being, a feeling that is beyond compare, For he now knew how it felt to truly be Santa Claus.
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