Believe

Believe

Some holidays contain more magic than others.  This year I was blessed with a share that will stay with me til the end of my days.  

A couple of years ago, my daughter split from her beau leaving her to be the main care taker for their son.  (just to give the father credit --  He does take an avid interest in his son, but he is a control freak, too, which can often make child rearing difficult negotiations for the parents and the boy…) that aside, my younger son and I have taken to being Santa Claus, storing the lad’s gifts at our house and bringing them to hers after he has fallen asleep Christmas Eve.  

This Christmas Eve went long.   My daughter didn’t leave our house until nearly 1 a.m..  My son and I traveled to her house an hour later.   But before we went, I pulled out a special Santa gift for my grandson, a replica of the bell from the movie Polar Express that was put out by Hallmark.  The bell has the same look and jingle as the bell from the movie.  It can also not jingle too if held the correct way.  The box it comes in could be the one from the movie, too, a perfect connection for one who believes in Christmas magic.  I wrapped the bell in special blue paper and put a big bow on it.  

At my daughters, we helped her to set up the gifts.  I left the blue box on top of the stack.  It was the only wrapped gift in a plethora of others.  I took a quick picture, kissed my daughter good-bye, and finally went home.

The morning came quickly; I got up at 8 but was exhausted.  I puttered about for a while and tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t.  About 11, I called my daughter to see how Johnny was and say Merry Christmas.  

She said, “Johnny, just left. You missed him.”  Her tone was sad, as it is so hard for her to say goodbye to her boy for the day.  But then she asked, “Mom did you leave that blue wrapped present here?”  

I said,”Huh?  What blue wrapped present?”  

Then she said, “Mom, Johnny got up and looked at his gifts, but then he said,”Look one little wrapped present!  What could it be Mama?”

My daughter looked too.  “Where did that come from?”  

Johnny opened it quickly and said, “Look Momma, a bell from Santa’s sleigh.”  My daughter grinned and hugged her son.  She said tears came to her eyes.  Mom did you? And I Laughed.  And she knew.  But she said,
“For one minute Mom, really, my heart really fluttered, and I really did believe.”

I just giggled over the phone and said, “Of course Santa left it there.” And I didn’t say another word.

She has never seen the Polar Express, and I hope she gets to watch it soon, for I think she will smile ear to ear for the magic of the bell there, was here.