Vignette 5: Santa’s Fulfilment
Santa sat in a oak wood armchair, a crackling fire warming the room in front of him. On a table off to his right, he had a tall glass of ice cold milk and some sugar cookies made by Mrs. Claus in the shape of snowmen, ready to be eaten. The smokey smell of the fire made him feel at home, along with the smell of cooking in the kitchen as Mrs. Claus made pancakes for their breakfast. Outside, he could faintly hear the laughter and sounds of celebration as the elves had a party for another successful Christmas season.
His hands were rested in a neat fold on his round stomach as he focused on the TV in front of him, showing him live footage of kids and families around the world as they opened presents, made breakfast, and celebrated Christmas morning. There was a smile on his face as he observed how excited and ecstatic the children were to know that Santa had come to deliver the gifts. They squealed with joy and elation when they ripped open a gift to see something they had wished for, showing each of their family members exuberantly. Every family had a different tradition or routine for Christmas morning, and he reveled in seeing how unique and special each family was. The thing that brought all different families and cultures together was the joy in Christmas.
Santa watched on with pride and satisfaction, the richness and butteriness of the sugar cookies with just the perfect balance of crispness and chewiness, melting in his mouth as he ate them.
The childrens’ gifts were the presents that Santa delivered to them, but Santa’s gift was seeing their reactions and feeling fulfilled at lighting up someone else’s day.