There is a Santa Clause

A very long time ago, before my special kids were even in the picture, I had a friend named Patti. Patti worked very hard cleaning houses in order to support her 5 children without any help from anyone. She was and is an amazing woman; she never complained and always tried to do the best she could for her kids.


It was about 27 years ago and the Cabbage Patch dolls had just become "The Thing" that the little girls wanted most. For months before Christmas Patti tried to accumulate the money to get her little daughter her very own Cabbage Patch Doll. Unfortunately something would happen and the money she was trying so hard to put away always needed to be used for other, more pressing things. Then, as Christmas grew near, it became impossible to even get the dolls. There were none available to be had. One day we heard that a local store was getting a small shipment of the dolls so a bunch of us went to stand on line, waiting and hoping that we could get one doll so Patti could give it to her sweet little girl. Unfortunately, none of us had any luck. Patti tried all the way until Christmas Eve, by now she had squirreled away the money but there were no more dolls.

My oldest daughter and I spent Christmas Eve with a friend named Rose who had 2 daughters. We were sitting around chatting and the girls were off playing somewhere unable to hear our conversation. Rose confided in me that she had sent away for 2 Cabbage Patch Dolls, one for each girl but, she got 3 dolls in the package that had been delivered. Knowing how difficult it was to get the dolls, Rose told me that she didn't want to send the one back, but did not know how to give one girl two dolls and the other one. Patti and her daughter came to mind immediately. I told Rose about what had been happening and asked if paid for the doll, would she give it to me for Patti? Rose asked me to wait, she left the room and came back with a doll. A pretty girl doll with blonde hair, just like Patti's daughter. Rose handed it to me and said, "it's her doll, no need to pay for it. It is going to where it should have been in the first place; it came here with a purpose!"

I called Patti, and asked, "Did you get a doll for Rachel", Patti said she had not been able to get one. "Well, you have one now," I said, almost losing my breath from happiness. I asked her to bring Little Rachel to my house in the morning so I could share in the moment. Patti cried and I cried and Rose cried too. It was a Santa Miracle!

The next morning I set the doll on the floor in the middle of the living room, still in the shopping bag that I used to take her home the night before. A few hours later Patti and Rachel walked into the room. We all wished each other Merry Christmas and although we usually sat in the kitchen, that day I invited them to sit in the living room. I walked over the the shopping bag and said, "Rachel, this is for you, it is from Santa Clause! You need to come over and see what it is". Surprised, she walked over and looked inside the bag. The tears were apparent in both Patti and my eyes as we watched Rachel pull out the box and carefully open it to reveal her wonderous gift She was so happy, the house was filled with an indescribable feeling of warmth. It was such an amazing moment.

So you see, I believe, there is a Santa Clause. He brings miracles to those who need them most, and not only at Christmas. Some of these are small little things and others are huge awesome things. They could just equate to a moment, a movement, a smile or just the feeling of a sweet baby's skin, a child looking out the window and really seeing a bird or a leaf. These Santa Miracles are not only for kids, they are for the kids in all of us. So during this holiday season and all year long, I wish you at least one Santa Clause Miracle, even if it is just the twinkle in the eye of a loved one. Wishing you all A Happy Holiday season and the joy of a Santa Miracle throughout the coming year!