Post Scripts: ‘Tis a very, Merry Christmas

A little boy came to see Santa in a mall. He sat on Santa’s lap, holding a picture of a little girl. "Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "It is my sister, Santa, who is very sick. She wanted to come with me, oh so very much."

Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was nearby, dabbing her eyes. Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile on the boy’s face, asking him what he wanted Santa to being him for Christmas.

When the visit was finished, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap and started to say something to Santa, but halted.

"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.

"The girl in the picture… my granddaughter, well, you see, has leukemia and isn’t expected to make it through the holidays. Is there any way possible, Santa, you could come see Sarah? That’s all she asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."

Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the lady to leave information as to where Sarah was. Santa thought of little else. He knew what he had to do."What if that were my child lying in a hospital, dying," He thought, "this is the least I can do."

That evening after Santa finished his visits and found where Sarah was staying, he went to the hospital. Her room was full of what appeared to be her family. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah’s mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah’s thin hair off her forehead. Another woman, Sarah’s aunt, sat in a chair nearby with a weary sad look on her face.

Taking a deep breath and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room with a hearty "Ho, Ho, Ho!"

"Santa" shrieked Sarah weakly as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes intact.

Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. She gazed at him with wonder and excitement. He could see the effects of the chemotherapy but most of all he saw a pair of huge blue eyes. His heart melted and he choked back tears. Sarah talked and told him excitedly about what toys she wanted for Christmas. As their time dwindled Santa felt the need to pray for Sarah and ask permission from her mother. The entire family circled her bed.

Santa asked Sarah if she believed in angels. "Oh yes, Santa, I do." she explained. "Well I’m going to ask that angels watch over you." he said. Laying one hand on the child’s head Santa closed his eyes, praying that God might touch little Sarah and heal her. When he finished praying he started singing "Silent Night, Holy Night… all is calm, all is bright."

The family joined in, still holding hands, still smiling at Sarah and crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment. When the song ended, Santa sat on the bed and held Sarah’s frail, small hands in his own. "Now, Sarah, he said, "you have a job to do and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun with your friends this summer and I expect to see you at my house this time next year."

A year went by and Santa was at his spot greeting children. Then one day a child came to sit on his lap. "Hi, Santa! Remember me?"

"Of course I do, Santa proclaimed as he always does.

"You came to see me in the hospital last year!" Santa’s jaw dropped. Tears sprang into his eyes and he grabbed this little miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He barely recognized her for her hair was long and her cheeks were rosy. He saw her mother and grandmother smiling, waving and wiping their eyes.

This was the best Christmas for Santa Claus. He had been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about this miracle of hope. This precious child was healed – cancer free. Alive and well. He silently looked up to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank You, Father. "Tis a very, Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Snyders in Texas.