Being Santa Claus
The shopping mall was beautifully decorated for Christmas. There were carols playing in the background and the shoppers were merrily running about. The whole place was filled with the holiday spirit and Christmas cheer. Sahan slowly walked around. He wanted to buy some things but being a teenager meant, that he didn’t have a heavy wallet.
A man who was watching Sahan approached him and introduced himself as the Mall Manager. “Young man, would you like to work part-time and earn a few extra bucks?” he asked him. “What type of work?” asked Sahan. “Well, we need a Santa Claus for the mall, since we can’t afford the real one!” he said with a wink. “You don’t have to do much,” said the Manager, “just wear the costume and sit on the chair under the Christmas tree. Just be jolly and distribute the sack of sweets to the kids!” Since the payment sounded good, Sahan agreed to be the Mall Santa Claus.
The next morning Sahan reported for his shift. They gave him a Santa’s suit and showed him to a small changing room where the other staff changed into their uniforms. Sahan wore the suit and the beard and looked at himself in the mirror. He could understand why the Mall Manager picked him. His height and weight was ideal for a Santa.
So off he went to his seat thinking,
“How hard could this be?”
Sahan soon realized that this was not an easy job. The first little girl who came to him tugged at his beard. “Oh it’s fake!” she exclaimed letting go of the elastic strap which slapped across Sahan’s face. “Ow!” he screamed in pain. The next little boy sniffed his outfit and complained, “Your clothes smell very dusty! Looks like you haven’t used them in a long time.” When Sahan offered sweets to the kid he frowned and demanded for an expensive brand. For the whole day only a handful of nice kids came to him.
Most of the kids who visited the mall were from well-to-do families and they had everything they needed and more.
It was not easy pleasing them. Sahan was so tired when his shift was finally over. He stared at the Christmas tree behind him and saw the star right at the top of the tree. He thought about the very first Christmas many, many years back and how a star guided the three wise men into a small manger where Baby Jesus was born. That was the true Christmas. Sahan sighed thinking how the meaning of Christmas has changed. Now it was all parties, expensive gifts, food and drinks.
Not many people seem to remember the true meaning of Christmas and where it all started, in a poor little manger.
Sahan dragged his feet and walked near the changing room. He tugged at the door but it was locked. “Oh, the workers just locked the door and left!” said the security guard, “Looks like they forgot about you!” “What?” shouted Sahan,
“My clothes are in there!” “Well, they won’t be back till tomorrow!” said the guard. Sahan groaned. This meant he had to go home in the Santa’s outfit. Luckily his home was at walking distance. He walked away muttering and pulling the empty sack on the ground.
“Santa, North pole is that way!” shouted someone and a few of the pedestrians laughed at him. A few dogs barked at him as he kept on walking. When he was passing the hospital he noticed a long queue of people waiting with food and flasks till the gate opened for visiting hours.
A small girl from the queue came running towards him. “Santa Claus!” she exclaimed her eyes gleaming. Her mother tried pulling her back. It looked like she really believed that Sahan was Santa Claus and her earnest eyes made him stop.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have any gifts little girl,” Sahan said and the girl said, “Santa can you please come to see my little brother. He is very sick!” Sahan nodded and when the gate opened, he followed the little girl to a bed where a little boy slept. He looked very ill and when the little girl whispered, “Malli, Santa is here to see you!” he slowly opened his eyes and smiled weakly.
“Little boy,” said Sahan, “You have to promise me that you will get well soon!” The little boy nodded and smiled. Sahan then walked around the beds talking and petting little kids who were not well. They were all very happy to see Santa but Sahan felt bad, as his goody sack was empty.
The next morning after Sahan’s shift, he was given a payment. He didn’t change his outfit but did some shopping, buying lots of little toys and sweets with the money he earned. Then he went to the children’s ward again. “Look Santa is back!” shouted the kids in joy. Sahan gave little gifts and sweets to the children and they were all delighted. They followed him around laughing and clapping.
Then he went to see the sick little boy. Sahan was surprised to see him sitting on his bed. “Thank you!” said his mother, “After your visit, he’s feeling a lot better. He was so happy and he even ate a little today, after so many days.”
Sahan felt very happy. He felt kind of like a king. Not just any king, but like one of the three kings who visited Baby Jesus with gifts, with the guidance of a bright star. “And the star in my case,” thought Sahan, “is none other than his little sister.” “Go back to North Pole carefully Santa,” said the little boy, “and have a Merry Christmas!” Sahan smiled and gave a hug to the little boy, “I wish you a
Merry Christmas
too!”