Santa Gets Caught!

Johnny awoke with a start. Sitting up while rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked around the room. The nightlight of Rudolph was still lit and the dim illumination cast some shadows across the floor. He could see his favorite fire truck sitting where he’d left it before going to bed. As he sat there looking around, he heard a sound coming from downstairs. Sliding off the bed clutching Growly, a rather worn teddy bear short one eye, he padded out into the hallway in his feety pajamas. Standing by the stairs he could see into his parent’s room, and see that they were still fast asleep. Peering down the stairs he tried to see what might be causing the noise. Looking his bear in the eye, he whispered “It might be Santa, so don’t make a sound okay?” Growly silently agreed in his usual way, not saying a word, but the solid look in his eye gave Johnny courage.

Creeping slowly down the stairs avoiding the garland strung on the banister, he stopped about 5 steps from the bottom. Peeking through the garland, he saw the brightly lit Christmas tree with the ornaments he’d help hang just a couple weeks before. Three stockings hung on the mantel waiting to be filled, the biggest one with a bear and his name on it. A small table sat to the fireplace with a plate of sugar cookies. An old cup that looked like a snowman sat with milk along with a note written in crayon telling Santa the snack was for him.

The sound came again but not from the chimney, from the hallway near the front door. Johnny bit his lower lip as he debated waiting to see if Santa was really there or running back upstairs to get Dad. As he stood wondering, he glanced up the stairs, back to the door, and down at his bear. After hearing the sound from the door again, Johnny turned to start up the stairs. He’d only managed to get up two stairs when a gust of cold air hit his back. Freezing where he was, he slowly turned around and crept back down. Stopping he peered through the banister rails while holding his bear to Growly could see too.

Kneeling by the tree was a man dressed all in red and a big white beard. A sack lay on the floor and the man was pulling out a brightly wrapped package. Wide eyed, Johnny stared at Santa as he placed more presents under the tree. Turning he ran up the stairs nearly dropping Growly as he went. Behind Johnny, the red-clad man turned around on his knee quickly just to see the boy vanish up the stairs. Smiling to himself, Johnny’s dad leaned so he could watch the boy go. Seeing Johnny turn towards his own room, the would-be Santa went back to putting presents under the tree before standing to fill the stockings.

His job finished, “Santa” ate the cookies, leaving a few crumbs behind along with drinking the now rather warm milk. Johnny’s dad then went back out the front door, slipping around the house to come back in the basement door. Stripping off the Santa suit, hiding it again in the basement, he went up stairs quietly and slipped into bed.

“You made enough noise didn’t you, “ his wife asked him with a slight smile.

“I did, “ came the reply, “but at least he caught me this year like we hoped.”

The two chuckled softly as quiet descended over the house once again and Johnny lay with his covers over his head, trying to go back to sleep.