Our faith shows that Easter is the supreme Feast; this is normal, since the Resurrection of our Lord is the very foundation of Christianity. While in this point there can be no discussions, the situation is different regarding soul perception – which permits me to omit a fact that (also) leaves no place for interpretations: the other great Feast of the Christians has the same date throughout the entire Earth.
I repeat that I don’t give a great attention to this reality, though there would be a facet worthy of that: it’s common sense for me to imagine that I have a lot of people, all over the world, next to me in the idea that at Christmas it’s the most beautiful.
Affirming this in full conviction, I immediately add that I don’t think first and foremost of the much beloved Santa Claus (even if he is the most generous with gifts), although the adorned Christmas tree still fills me with pleasure; essential, however, is the atmosphere – with the efforts to retrieve quietness, helped by the traditional carols. (Speaking of atmosphere, I think that winter weather cannot be excluded, so I reached the opinion that it would be simply tragic if I resided in a zone of everlasting heat or in the southern hemisphere.) Those who are close to me feel the same, and I consider we have no reason for remorse when implying also in the superficial aspects of the celebration, since we are filled with the spirit of Christmas – as I think I’ve shown.
After all, producing joy to children means to follow the requirements of The One Whose birth has created the premises also for the highly expected days at the end of the year. I admit, however, that I considered this only now; nevertheless, I don’t need arguments in addition (and equivalent to justifications) to narrate in writing, too, what I repeated verbally until the younger people around me got bored. It’s a luck that I have the former possibility of communication; I hope to find one or two folks receptive to the great pleasure to exhibit my considerably old relation with Santa Claus. (I used the formula “Father Christmas” within the title in order to get it right.)
It’s around 45 years since my maternal grandfather, during one of our frequent walks through the city, stressed firmly that he wouldn’t buy me anything, but I could ask from Santa – for 100 lei, at most. (For comparison, the salary of my mother – as a beginning teacher – was 900 lei; the cheapest bread was 2.20 – as I remember.) I wondered about this limit, considering what I was imagining, but I complied with that. (Grandfather loved me very much, which I understood much better after some 15 years, but cared for discipline – as a former officer, combatant on the Russian front.) Even today, I can see myself choosing a little train and an airplane with a little engine and lights. I don’t know anymore which of them had the cost of 58 lei and which was 42, but essential is what I felt when I saw exactly those toys under the Christmas tree full of electric candles.)
After moving to our home, I experienced confusion again – but with a different object: I didn’t know how was it that Santa Claus came only after my father arrived from his job (at about 7 p.m.). Moreover, “very curious” was that he always felt an urge to go to the bathroom (announcing that in loud voice), and, immediately after finishing, heralded us that he saw lights in the smaller room – where there had been deeply dark before, as we, too, had remarked.
I should specify that the bathroom and the interesting location communicated with a little lobby – as did the other room (where we stayed – with the door shut, of course). At the same time, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises, by identifying people close to us, both me and my sister (born when I was in the first form) had been informed that Father Christmas appeared and disappeared like smoke.
However glad had I been by finding of the Christmas tree in lights and with gifts underneath, I felt a pleasure incomparably higher when participating to the “setup”. It’s not that I have caught my father (as it happened to him), but, at 10, I exhibited my own deductions – triggered by a book I had read. Evidently, he had no alternative to co-opting me for the preparations – and, gradually, I took over everything. I don’t wish to boast, but the flow of recollections stimulate me to tell that I made it in such a way that, when my sister was 12, I revealed her the secret, in order that she wouldn’t make a fool of herself at school. My parents reproached that to me; yet, I’ll be always convinced that I did what I had to do.
In parallel, I felt extremely well while adorning the fir-tree also in the house where I had lived during my first years (and where now came my too little girl-cousins – who were younger than my sister); thereafter, I helped my grandma with other things, too – my part being, of course, the “unqualified work”.
After I had my own family and house, I followed the same line a few years, but then I got an idea to reduce the risk for my descendant to be disappointed. Ever since he started school, it was settled that we adorned the Christmas tree together, and consequently Santa (who had fixed it in the sup¬port and had left it in the basement; it’s a luck for us to have that space) would lay the presents, while we slept. This part was, most often, extremely hard, but what’s important is that – as one can easily guess – his pleasure didn’t diminish; on the contrary. Anyway, the surprise of the gifts remains, up to this day – when he is over 24. This aspect is the business of his mother – who, as a matter of fact, ornaments our home, as soon as December begins, with representations of Santa Claus, as well as reindeers, stars, etc.
As I told directly to my son, I am convinced that he wouldn’t catch me even now, had I tried hard. I’d even want to do so, but he and his mother consider that would be ridiculous. Therefore, it’s left to me only to expect grandchildren!
