Finding your Santa

As a kid I was a skeptic, like most.  One Christmas stands out in my memory.  I don't know how old I was, I don't remember what grade I was in, and I couldn't tell you much of what happened that year.  What I do remember is that this was the year I stopped believing in Santa.  Kids at school listed the reasons why Santa didn't exist.  The few that stand out were ones like, "The to, from sticker is written in your parents handwriting, " "If you open gifts on Christmas Eve your Santa gifts are still there, " and "The wrapping paper is exactly the same as all the other gifts."  I listed all these reasons to my mom and she answered with a simple, "Oh really mi'ja."  

That year we opened all of our gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve.  All our gifts had either a green or red wrapping paper.  My mom likes traditional Christmas colors.  We didn't have any gifts from Santa under the tree.  I was disappointed but my mom told me to check under the tree the next morning.  I went to sleep and woke up around 7 am.  I searched and searched under the tree and nothing.  I wanted to cry but instead I prance into my mom's room with an "I told you there's no Santa!  There aren't any gifts under the tree!"  My mom answered quietly, still half asleep, and said, "Did you check everywhere, are you sure?"  

I went to check under the tree one last time.  Next to the window, under the tree was one lonely present.   This gift was wrapped in Mickey and Minnie wrapping paper, the tag said To: Rosie From: Santa, and was written in my mother's handwriting.  I don't recall what it was, I don't remember anything I received that year for Christmas, I do remember that inner glow, restored faith, and glee... Santa remembered me.  And for that year I believed in Santa, I had my Santa.