” Mimi please come along with me. It would be so much fun!!! You would have a great time and there will be toys, sweets and cakes given to each one.  Please say a yes!!”… ..

I looked at the expectant big brown eyes of my neice Tweety and thought for a while. It was christmas and I had come to my elder cousin’s place for the christmas celebrations and the evening party. My sister and her entire family was busy with the preparations and their little 5 year old daughter sat facing me trying to cajole me to attend the christmas celebrations at her school.

St. Margarets’ celebrated Christmas  where all kids were invited  along with their parents. Tweety really wanted to go but my cousin and her husband were busy for the party they were hosting in the evening,  hence I was the last resort Tweety could hold on to for her to attend the Christmas celebrations at her school.

” Okay!! let’s go… But you have to be a very good girl while you are with me.”, I said while Tweety shouted a ” Yipee!!!”. I couldn’t have broken the hope and request of a little angel ,specially on  a Christmas day.

Seeing the little girls of St. Margaret’s singing “Joy to the World the Lord has come”, wearing red dresses was a toast to my eyes and ears.  I had come to the celebration with Tweety just to keep her happy but as the celebrations begun, I felt that I was also enjoying equally with her.

“Mimi..”,Tweety clutched my elbow. Mimi was her way of calling me, a sweet way to replace the word” maasi”.

“Mimi, You know Santa will come today in some time. I am so excited.. teacher said,  that Santa will come in his sleigh from heaven to our school and give all of us gifts and cakes.“, Tweety’s eyes were shining as she spoke with her hands moving here and there with exuberance. ” Wow!!! it would be so good to see Santa na?”, I nodded  trying to keep up  with the  little ones enthusiasm.

The celebrations moved on with  a play being  enacted on how the three wise men followed the Holy Star to find Baby Jesus.  It was fun on my part as I caught all the kids engrossed watching the play.

As the play got over and the kids were hush hushing amongst them trying to anticipate the arrival of the Hero of the day, Santa Claus,  we heard sound of ringing bells. There was a mad uproar amongst the kids as they   all stood up and started to clap hands shouting…”SANTA CLAUS!!!” “SANTA CLAUS!!!”

The sound of ringing bells were still heard but Santa was not spotted yet. Suddenly like a dream come true for the kids, Santa Claus emerged in his red gown and white beard,  ringing bells with a huge bag behind him full of gifts and toffees.  He threw the toffees at random towards the kids while they jumped around him to collect them. It was such a sweet sight.  The kids were so excited and enthralled by the arrival of Santa.

The next hour each kid went  up to the stage and received her gift from Santa. A gift wrapped box of cake and goodies. When Tweety came back from stage she was jumping with joy…” You know,  Mimi.. Santa said that God sent him to give me this gift. How did Santa know that I wanted this pink pencil and eraser?”, I smiled at the innocence of her question..

As the celebrations got over,  I took Tweety by her hand and took a walk back home.  The entire way Tweety sang carols and asked lot of questions about Santa Claus which I answered to the best of my ability. We were crossing the market place when  I stopped beside a local grocery shop to buy candles.

” Mimi.. LOOK!!!”, Tweety whispered loudly as she pulled my dress. When I looked down at her,  I saw she was pointing to the neighbouring shop.

Then I realized what she was showing. It was her hero standing there. It was Santa Claus, without his cap and beard,  still wearing the red gown, looking a plain  gentleman. He was there to buy something may be,  but the little one had caught him.

” Mimi, that is Santa… what’s he doing? and where is his beard and cap?”, Tweety seemed disappointed with her hero looking like a normal human being.

I asked Tweety to wait in the grocery shop with the owner while I stepped ahead to the nearby shop to find a little more about Santa.

It was a bakery shop and our Santa Claus stood there quietly. He didn’t seem cheerful anymore as he was in the celebrations. Rather he looked little shrunk and heavy on the shoulders.

I watched him looking at the cakes displayed there and then bargaining on the price.

” Isn’t there any cake which I can buy at 100 Rupees?”, asked Santa ..

” No there isn’t anything at that price, not even cookies. And YOU ANTHONY  will not even get it in credit till you pay me back all your last dues!”, said the bakery shop owner quite sternly at Santa.

I watched Santa/ Anthony’s face turn even more dark and morose as he stood there watching the display window of the bakery with exotic cakes, totally oblivious of my presence.

My heart went out to him and my eyes turned moist. What an irony life plays!  Dressed as Santa Claus, Anthony was a hero of so many kids. With enough flamboyance and benevolence did he distribute  gifts, toys, and cakes to each kid in the celebration and they went back home thinking that their Hero,  Santa Claus has given them the goodies but here,  I see the hero of Christmas,… Santa Claus  standing helpless near a local bakery shop, unable to buy a simple cake for his family on Christmas.

I stood there for a minute then called up my cousin at home. She was busy with the preparations but  gave me a patient hearing.

” Hey! Mr. Santa Claus..”, I called him and saw him suddenly taken by surprise.

” My niece studies in St. Margarets’ and I was there with her in today’s celebration. It was great.”, I tried to be as cheerful as I could.

This time Santa/ Anthony smiled.

” May I request you something..”, I said looking at him and continued..

” We have a Christmas Party this evening back home. There are going to be kids too. Could you come there as Santa Claus.  Please don’t say a no as my little niece Tweety will get disappointed then. “

Santa/ Anthony kept looking at me not knowing what to say.

” I understand you are reconsidering my offer because everyone prefers to be with  their own family on Christmas evenings. So.. why don’t you get your entire family  along with  your kids to party with us at our place.” I said and this time Anthony agreed.

I went back to collect Tweety from the nearby shop and as we walked back home told her that there will be a huge surprise for her in the evening party.

That Christmas would always be special for me. The party was a huge success as Santa Claus went around the  living room giving gifts to all. Anthony had come with his wife and three children. After the party we all had dinner together.

When they were leaving, I handed Anthony an envelope of five thousand rupee notes.

“This is too much”, said Anthony.

” You were Great! thanks for coming.”, I smiled at him.

We gave his children new dresses.

” Anthony,  a small gift for you and your family from us.”, said my cousin as I handed him a huge Chocolate cake.

Anthony didn’t have words but I saw his eyes light up.

” Merry Christmas!”, we  shouted as I watched Anthony’s family leave.

” Merry Christmas!” they all shouted back in union.

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