"Mummy." My 7-year-old son, Dave called.
"Yes, baby. What's it?"
"Is it true that Santa makes wishes come true?"
I smile and draw him closer to me, we were in the living room watching a movie on a weekend night.
"You ask me this same question every year, and my response is always the same. Santa makes reasonable wishes come true. Why did you ask?"
"Because my friend, Jothan got a Range Rover kids car for his 8th birthday."
"Oh really? That's nice."
"I want it too, and I was thinking if I asked Santa, he could make it my Christmas gift."
I couldn't help chuckling, kids are funny. Dave has been asking me to buy him a kids car way before Jothan got it as a birthday present, but I couldn't afford it. There are way too many bills to pay, and money never seems to be enough. I've done my Christmas shopping and the little money left with me, I had intended to use it to tide us over until I resume work in January, and now he drops a bombshell? What to do? A thought filtered into my head, and I decided to reason with him.
"Like I said earlier, Santa only grants reasonable requests."
"Isn't a car a reasonable wish?"
"It is the only minor issue is that it's a reasonable wish to you, but it might not seem so reasonable to Santa."
Wearing a quizzical look, he asked, "How can it be unreasonable to him? Isn't he supposed to give me what I wish for?"
"Yes, he is though it isn't your entitlement. Okay, so look at it this way," I sat up properly in my seat. "if Santa gives every kid the expensive wishes they make, how is he supposed to have enough gifts to go around other children? The cost of that car you are asking for is more than enough to buy little gifts for many children."
"Hmmm, I guess I see your point."
"Answer me this, would rather have a car than make other children happy? There are lots of kids who don't have anyone to show them love or give them gifts on special occasions like Christmas. How do you think they would feel?
"Bad I guess. I'm sorry for thinking of wishing for a car, it's selfish."
"It's okay, baby. Santa will give you gifts just as he would give every other child. I suggest you make a less expensive wish. What do you say?"
"That's cool, Mum. I'm just going to run upstairs to make a different wish. Thank you, Mum."
He stood and ran off the stairs bustling with energy.
I followed him silently on tiptoes and eavesdropped behind his door to hear the wish he would make.
He made a different wish and I was glad.
I got his gift for him the next day, wrapped and kept it hidden.
Dave came running down the stairs a few days later with his letter in his hand, waving it in excitement.
"Look, Mum, I wrote my letter to Santa. I want you to read it."
I smiled and collected it from him, and I couldn't help but smile at how sweet and innocent my boy was. I don't think I've ever been prouder of him than in that moment. Okay, so, here it goes...
π΄ππππ’ π·ππ£π,
ππ 1 ππ’π‘ππππ π π‘ππππ‘,
πππ π‘βπππ, π23 π
44
π·πππ ππππ‘π,
ππ¦ ππππ ππ π·ππ£π, πππ π'π π π ππ£ππ π¦πππ πππ πππ¦. πΌ βπππ π¦ππ’ βππ£π π π‘πππ‘ππ ππππππππππ‘βπ ππππ‘π π¦ππ’ πππ ππππππππ πππ€π βπππ. πΌ βπππ ππ£πππ¦πππ ππ π‘βπ ππππ‘β ππππ ππ πππππ π€πππ.
πΈπ£πππ¦ π¦πππ π¦ππ’ πππππ ππ ππππ‘π , πππ π ππ ππππ‘πππ’π. πΌ π€πππ‘ππ π‘π‘π ππ π π¦ππ’ πππ π πππππ πππ£ππ πβππππππ'π πππ π‘βππ π¦πππ ππ’π‘ πππ‘ πππ¦ππππ. πΌ π€πππ‘ππ π‘π π π€ππ‘πβ ππ‘ π‘π π ππππ π‘βππ‘ πΌ πππ£π πππ π ππ ππ£πππ¦π‘πππ ππ‘ π‘βπ ππππ, ππ’π‘ πΌ πππ'π‘ π€πππ‘ ππ‘ πππ¦ππππ.
πβππ π¦πππ, ππ¦ ππππ¦ π€ππ β ππ π‘βππ‘ π¦ππ’ πππ'π‘ πππ£π ππ πππ¦ ππππ‘π , πππ πππ π‘πππ, πππ£π ππ‘ π‘π π‘βπ πβππππππ π€βπ βππ£π ππ πππ π‘π ππ’π¦ π‘βππ ππππ πππ‘π . πβππ‘ πππππ π€πππ ππππ ππ βππππ¦.
πβπππ π¦ππ’ ππ πππ£ππππ,ππππ‘π. πΌ πππ£π π¦ππ’ πππ πΌ π€ππ β π¦ππ’ π πππ π‘πππ ππ π¦ππ’π πππ’ππππ¦ ππππ π‘βπ ππππ‘β ππππ. πππππ¦ πΆβπππ π‘πππ ππ πππ£ππππ.
πΏππ£π, π·ππ£π.
I folded the letter and put it carefully on the table before drawing my son closer for a hug. He's such a compassionate and selfless kid.
"I thought you made a different wish, I didn't know you changed your mind," I said, holding him tightly.
"I indeed made a different wish the day we spoke for a game I've been seeing at the mall, but I changed my mind. I'd rather help others in need than spend money on a game."
"I'm sure Santa will love you for what you did."
Preparations are still on for Christmas and Dave's gift haπ already been packed and hidden. I can't wait to see the expression on his face when he sees that o got him the game he's been longing for. If I can't afford to buy him a car yet, it's only fair that I get him something else.
Anything extravagant is totally off the budget, and reasoning with him was what gave me the idea of a cheaper gift.
He's surely going to have a special Christmas. I'll cook his favorite meal and take him out to fun places.
Merry Christmas in advance, people.