My Santa Clause Letter

Some readers have asked me to re-post “My Santa Clause Letter” because its Christmas. How can I say No! ...It happens to be my favourite too.

Dear Santa Clause,

I am writing to ask you to make my Christmas wish come true, Santa Clause.

I want you to bring me a clock and leave it in my Christmas stocking, that’s all.

I don’t want just any old clock. I don’t want a digital clock; I want one with great big hands. I don’t want an electronic clock or one that runs on batteries; I want to wind it up using a special key. I don’t want it to beep, buzz, jingle or chime; I want to hear it go “tick-tock”. It doesn’t even need to light-up in the dark. I want a magic clock, you see! One that can take me back to any Christmastime I set it for.

I’ll set the clock to 2002 and then to 1999 to re-live the very first Christmas of my two grandchildren. To re-read them stories on my knee and tell them about the wonderful birth of Jesus. I want to see their bright eyes again taking-in the wonder of Christmas day and to lie on their bed with them during the afternoon to watch them sleep.

I’ll set the clock to take me back to the sixties when Christmas day was spent with my wife and three wonderful children. They were truly the good days. In a flash the kids were grown up and my wife and I went our separate ways. It was so long ago. I sometimes have difficulty remembering why all this happened. Why can’t the world just stand still and let things remain the same for a while? I don’t know why. ...Do you?

But, most of all, I’ll set the clock to take me back to my own very early childhood. These were the happiest years I can remember. These were the Christmases when my family awoke together, went to church together, played together and prayed together. Sadly, they didn’t last long. They were gone in a whisper. Whatever happened to them?

My God! I’m sorry Santa. I think I must have dozed-off a little.

No I didn’t!

Oh! Thank you Santa! Thank you for the magic clock. Thank you for making my wish come true just a little bit early. You see, I have just returned from my wonderful journey through Christmases past as I write this letter to you.

Thank you for the warmth, the smiles, the tears and the memories. I’ll go to bed now.

John Evans