Will the Real Santa Claus Please Stand Up?

Ever have a memory just pop into your head and make you smile? This memory recurs every year, but this year I decided to share it. As a kid, the weeks before Christmas were spent with my mom planning our trip to NJ to see my aunts, uncles, cousins and the frozen beach. Yes, I always had to go walk the frozen shoreline. Little did I know that the Christmas I am about the share would turn out to be something very special.

Throughout my life, my Uncle Ray and I got along great and I loved hanging out with him because you never truly knew what to expect. Picture a guy and his impressionable, young nephew, in a red Yugo, doing donuts in a snow covered parking lot only to stop right in front of a police car. Yeah, that kind of uncle and yes, that did happen. One year he took me out repairing televisions where I got to see how he treated people. Always with a kind word, even if they were irritated or grumpy. He was respectful and tolerated a lot.

Fast forward to this particular Christmas. My Uncle Ray was known for playing Santa Claus and had been doing so since I was a little kid. I forget if I was 17 or 18 (maybe older) at the time of this story, but kids had starting to wise up to the fact that everytime my family was around with Santa, Uncle Ray was not. Little did I know he had hatched an elaborate plan that he would not play Santa that year…I would. He asked me if I would do it and with a little trepidation I said yes, not knowing what to expect. But this was no ordinary request, as I would soon get to partake in something very special.

Uncle Ray always played the skill crane games and won boatloads of stuffed animals. I blame him for getting me hooked on them! He was either very good or spent his paycheck every week to win them, but that’s a secret he kept from us kids. All of these stuffed animals were stored, year round, in large garbage bags and were to be given to children on Christmas Eve. How were they handed out? Well, that’s the magic I’m about to share.

The Santa suit fit me perfectly, the beard was the right size and my uncle was tickled pink he could mess with all the kids. He loved giving and seeing the neighborhood kids smile. Uncle Ray had one of the most giving hearts I can remember. He glowed when he got those bags of animals out. His brother-in-law owned a convertible, so the plan was to have him drive the convertible, top down, with me sitting on the trunk, feet on the back seat for all to see. Get the picture? My Uncle Ray and my cousin Michael sat in the backseat and were my “elves” handing me animals to toss to the kids and tossing some themselves. (There were a lot of stuffed animals!) . I honestly had no clue what to think, but my night would change the way I felt about people forever.

As we drove, you could see feet of snow on the ground and fee frigid temperatures, but it didn’t matter. It was a great night to ride in the back of a convertible, right? The first part of the evening brought out kids from all the houses, most of them in their pajamas. You would have thought I was the ice cream man, but it was cold out already and these kids had one thing on their mind. They wanted to see Santa and get a wave from him, despite the freezing temperatures. When I started tossing out stuffed animals to the children, everything changed. I choke up as I write this because you could see how grateful and gloriously happy they were to recieve a toy on Christmas Eve. It may have been one of the best gifts they ever received, but I had no idea. All I know is that it warmed my heart as I waved to them while wishing them a Merry Christmas. I started to understand why my uncle did what he did.

Next came the tough sell. My uncle informed me that we were going to be stopping at some houses to bring a toy to the kids inside and I would have to talk to them. Yikes! I hoped I could pull it off. Now, while many of these families I knew, many I did not. But I knew my uncle and I knew Santa Claus. I remember sitting the kids on my lap, calling them by name, listening to their requests and handing them a gift for being so good that year. The best part came with one family I knew of, but didn’t know any of the kids. I sat this little boy on my lap, called him by name and asked what he wanted for Christmas. He proceeded to stare into my eyes and give me his entire list with the utmost belief that I was the real Santa Claus. In that moment, I was. I gave him one of the toys from his list and he gave me the biggest hug and smiled from ear to ear. He made my entire night. When we left, one of the men gave me a pat on the back, said thank you with tears in his eyes and a smile worth more than a million dollars. It felt incredible. My uncle was smiling, too and I felt more and more why he dressed like Santa Claus and visited families.

The night went on and we visited more families. Our last stop was at my Aunt Sue’s brother and sister-in-laws house. Their son, who knew me personally, just about let the cat out of the bag when he looked at my eyes. If you know me, I have bright blue eyes, and they are a dead giveaway to those who know me. He picked me out and gave me the stink eye while asking me if I was “me” and not Santa Claus. Smart little detective! I had to keep looking past him and make the visit with him quick. He kept peering around, trying to bust me! His older sister already knew who I was, but she was holding it together for everyone. I said my”Ho-Ho-Ho’s” and left the house, ran to the car and quickly changed into street clothes before going back into the house a few minutes later letting them know I saw Santa Claus taking off when I arrived. The kids told the entire story of Santa’s visit with gleeful excitement. One look toward my Uncle Ray was all it took as he was looking right back at me, big grin on his face, and a small nod. My duties were complete.

My Uncle Ray may not be with us physically any longer, but he is in my memories and his giving spirit lives on. I encourage all of you to be like my Uncle Ray for at least the next few days. This year, with the shutdowns and Covid-related issues, a thick fog of depression surrounds the country. People are hurting physically, financially, and emotionally. Share a smile (if you can from behind the mask), a kind word, donate some money or food to someone who might need it. Maybe you can offer a toy or two to a family who simply cannot afford one for their kids. It could be that a family needs a hot meal and you have a full freezer or pantry. Call your family or call someone who might simply need an encouraging word. Trust your gut. It will cost you nothing than your time and a little extra you might have. All I ask is that you share some of the blessings you have been provided with to encourage those around you. Be like Jesus and show compassion, give of yourself, and love one another. Marry Christmas to you all!