One Night Before Christmas
By Tom Mercer
Forever Carbondalian
It was “that time of year again.” To Santa and Mrs. Claus, it seemed only weeks had passed since the previous Christmas, but both knew that as the days grew shorter it meant that Christmas was just around the corner (although there were no actual street corners in the couple’s neighborhood).
As they sat together on their comfy sofa near the fireplace, both Mr. and Mrs. Claus thought about the hectic days that lay ahead. Gift assembly plans needed to be discussed with the elves in the manufacturing center, an inventory of raw materials was necessary for the construction of toys, the reindeer team would have to pass their final flight check, the sleigh had to pass inspection and Santa’s delivery routes needed to be approved and finalized for his Christmas Eve rounds. Long-range weather forecasts for the “Big Day” looked promising, but Santa knew from experience that weather forecasts were rarely dependable.
As he sat by the fire with his wife, Santa thought about the events that led up to accepting his current position. Throughout his life, nothing had brought him more joy than the simple, happy smile of a child … any child … anywhere. So, when certain spirits heard about Santa’s mortal disposition, they made him a job offer that he could not resist. The pay was negligible, but the joy of bringing happiness to so many proved to be irresistible, despite the considerable work-load that the job entailed.
He would be responsible for toy manufacturing plans, caring and feeding of reindeer, the management of occasionally cantankerous elves, scheduling, team meetings, weather tracking and the development of flight plans. The duties necessitated working year-round with only two weeks off for Santa’s annual Caribbean vacation. In addition, Santa felt the pressure of having to live up to his reputation. Santa hardly differed from major corporate executives, except that he earned no salary, and he made millions of children happy. Of course, he still had to wear a suit on workdays.
After years in the field, Santa heard rumors about some people not believing in his existence. This notion puzzled Santa. He knew that he existed, and he had a mirror to prove it! Still, he realized that the non-believers were probably adults who had become hardened and disillusioned as they had aged. Santa was sorry that the disbelievers had allowed magic to completely slip out of their lives.
He knew that their disbelief represented a kind of “spiritual starvation.” He thought that some cookies might help, but he had not yet tested his theory.
Mrs. Claus also harbored some concerns. Mainly, she worried about her husband traveling by air in the dark of night. What if he was mistaken for a threat and targeted by a missile? What if foul weather forced Santa’s sleigh down in a land that did not acknowledge Santa’s very existence? She was likewise concerned for the safety of the reindeer, of course, who she had cared for deeply since the time of their first Christmas Eve flight. The reindeer just thought of Mrs. Claus as “Mom.” They didn’t receive Christmas cookies from Mrs. Claus, but the entire team clearly felt her love.
Over the years, Santa sometimes quietly wondered what it would be like to retire from his demanding job. Fortunately, the musings were generally short-lived.
Santa knew how fortunate he was to be able to bring so much happiness to a world that often had to deal with war, disease and a loss of faith in the potential goodness of all humankind. So, Santa ruled out early retirement and plotted the route for his next flight plan. “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”