It’s dark outside. My big sister is asleep, her soft breathing sending soothing ripples across the room.
If mum and dad come in now I know there’s a chance I’ll be in trouble, because you have to be asleep. He won’t come in you’re not asleep. But, well, if you’re asleep then you don’t see him right? And I so want to see him.
I shiver a little and wrap my fleecey dressing gown around my knees, adjusting my slippers on the desk. If I move too fast it will creak and give away the fact that not only am I not asleep, dreaming of bright coloured paper and turkey and crackers, but that I’m not even in bed, tucked up, waiting.
But I’m almost eight years old, on the verge of not believing and I so want to believe, so I’m waiting and watching and hoping.
Outside, the frost twinkles in the silver shadows cast by streetlights on the frozen ground. The sky is dark and inky blue. White clouds shimmer across the moon and all is still, silent, expectant. Then I hear it, or I think I hear it, the faint sweet song of sleigh bells, and maybe just maybe there’s a hint of something dark and familiar in the clouds against the moon.
I strain my ears to hear more but there is nothing. My eyes ache from looking. I sit a moment longer and think, “Could it be? Was that him? I think it was.”
And part of me wants more, a tiny part of me wants reindeer, and a sleigh and a big red man in gaudy technicolour, but a bigger part of me is happy. A bigger part of me says, “You’re lucky he gave you that much. Nobody ever sees him, but you did. You got a glimpse, that’s enough.”
So I climb down from my perch on the window sill, tugging the curtain back into place. I push my slippers under my bed and dive beneath the covers wriggling around to warm the cool sheets and exorcise the cold air that gripped my skin when I took off my dressing gown. Then I lay still, listening to the beat of my heart as it settles into a calm comfortable gentle de-dum, de-dum, de-dum. And as I drift off to sleep another sound blends prettily with my resting heart.
I’m sure when my mum and dad came to tuck me in at some dark hour there must have been a smile on my face, because that night I went to sleep truly happy, in my warm bed, my family close by, and a faraway tinkling of sleigh bells in my ear.
This post was written in response to lovely Molly’s Fun Monday theme, “Tell us about a happy memory form your childhood.” I can’t wait to read them all.
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June 9th, 2008 at 3:01 am
OMG he must have been sharing himself around that night! I swear I saw him too!
June 9th, 2008 at 3:14 am
Well, he stopped by our house every year. And the sleigh bells do ring out. Thanks for your memory.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:58 am
JO!!!!! This is like reading an introduction to a great children’s book!!! How wonderful. I love this. Great anticipation, you did a fabulous job. So descriptive, you had me getting very excited for that ’special man’ too.
Loved it.
My Fun Monday is shared too, I hope you can stop by and read it, if you haven’t already –since I’m just now going through the Mr. Linky’s at Mollys before I get to my own comments to read who has visited!! Take care, have a great day. [PS --you have to scroll below my 'walk in the park' photos to reach my F M entry!!]
June 9th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Oh, OH ! I think I hear him now…no, wait ! That’s my wind chimes just blowin’ in the wind or is it the voices in my head?
Very beautifully written.
June 9th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Oh Jo! I loved this story! There are times when I wish we could go back to that innocence and joy!
June 9th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Yes, this is incredible writing and you SHOULD write a Christmas children’s book!!! Well done.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:23 am
That was very nice to read ! I almost felt like you !
June 9th, 2008 at 10:06 am
What a sweet memory.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Wonderful post. My daughters were sure they heard the Easter Bunny, one year. Just Mom, being late with things.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Aw, that was very sweet. Wonderfully written too!
June 9th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Oh you naughty girl, you know he doesn’t come until you’re asleep! LOL
June 9th, 2008 at 11:36 am
What a lovely and fun post you have written about a happy childhood memory.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Brilliant post, one of my favourites today
June 9th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I so remember that feeling and excitement!
Thanks!
June 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
MY dad used to make little tracks in the snow outside our bedroom windows, and then in the morning he’d show us how the elves had crept up outside to make sure we were sleeping and being good. it never failed to thrill us.
June 9th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Oh! I think my eyes are leaking. ’scuse me.
June 9th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
My childhood Christmas’s were so happy because my Dad loved this holiday above all others. He got so excited and made it special for all of us.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Absolute magic!
June 9th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
jo, this was beautifully written! i could FEEL the anticipation and “his” presence!!!!!
June 9th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
We all wanted to believe at that time in life. That was the correct and poitive way to live.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
that was so neat, I could read it to my 3 year old, I bet her eyes would be so large with anticipation, I enjoyed reading it
June 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
i don’t think i ever *did* wait up…dang! i was *tooooo* good. i’m going to go back and be naughty.
and i only really stopped believing the year before last. when i realized i was doing the wrapping. ..
June 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
What an incredibly sweet post. That was around the age that I started to try to figure it all out too.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
What a great story you recounted so well of that hope and dream so many of us had. Have a wonderful week…
June 9th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
now that is one cozy memory.
very nice!
June 9th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
This was absolutely wonderful! Thanks for taking me back in time.
June 9th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Oh I also remember those couple of years when you were torn between believing and not. Did your parents tell you, “He who believes, receives.”? Actually, if you think about it, it still applies, right?
June 9th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Oh how wonderious – and magical. Thanks for sharing.
June 9th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
beautiful Jo…just beautiful..you have captured it perfectly!!
June 9th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
awww… should be in a short story book — like Chicken Soup for The Soul..
I never believed in Santa. I think I missed out.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Wow, I believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 10th, 2008 at 6:56 am
That was marvelously written. Great story
June 10th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Very well written! My brother and I used to hide and wait. Of course we always fell asleep before St. Nick visited!