Joshua and Ruth (a Christmas tale)

It was very early on Christmas morning when Ruth Wilson, all of five and with the mountain of curiosity and love that comes from being that tender age, had her brief encounter with Joshua.

In the soft hours before sunrise the air was crisp and still with only the occasional song of a lonely bird or cricket breaking the silence. Ruth (she hated being called “Ruthie”, even though both of her parents insisted on doing just that) had slipped from the warm comfort of her bed and had trudged down the stairs to sit watch. She had decided (embracing the dream of countless children before her) that this was the night that she was going to see him in person. Ruth Wilson, with the guileless determination only possessed by children of a certain age, had decided that this was the night that she was going to see Santa Claus with her very own eyes.

The fireplace was cool, Ruth’s father having made sure the fire was out before he went to bed, and Ruth was glad for the silly flannel pajama’s her mother had made her wear to bed. Her bright green eyes twinkled anxiously as Ruth thought about what was about to happen.

Ruth secreted herself in a shadowy corner of the stairwell that overlooked her family’s fragrant Christmas tree resolved to stay there until the jolly fat man made his appearance. And, of course, she then promptly fell back to sleep.

And thus she was asleep when a golden spray of light danced down the chimney. The warm twinkling light twirled and pulsated and finally spun into a spiral right in front of the Christmas tree. The light grew and grew until it was a ball almost as tall as the tree itself. And then, quite suddenly, there was a flash and the light was gone. In its place was a man…a burly man dressed in a festive scarlet suit trimmed in white with great gleaming black boots and a gleaming black belt that encircled the impressive girth of his belly.

The man had brown eyes that twinkled even in the darkness of the early morning hours and a thick white beard that contrasted with the deep chocolate color of his face.

The man glanced around, his eyes landing immediately on the sleeping Ruth. He chuckled quietly and shook his head. He made a step towards the tree and much to his dismay he found that he had stepped directly on a floorboard that gave off a very audible squeak. The noise startled Ruth and the man, realizing instantly that she had woken, rolled his eyes upward and sighed.

Ruth’s eyes grew wide with surprise (in truth, a small part of her hadn’t really expected that there was really a Santa Claus) and delight. “Santa!” she exclaimed softly.

The man shook his head and turned round. “Hello, Ruth,” he said, his voice deep and reassuring, “shouldn’t you be in bed?”

Ruth got to her feet and walked down the stairs. “I just wanted to meet you,” she said, shyly finding her voice, “I hope you’re not mad…”

The man smiled and knelt down. “No, little one,” he said gently, “I’m not mad.”

Ruth did a double take as she got close enough to see the man’s dark face so different from the ruddy, rosy-cheek image she had come to know. “Are you really Santa…I mean…”

The man smiled patiently. “Well actually, my name is Joshua,” he explained, “I’m a Santa from the South Pole…”

Ruth, finding this explanation to be perfectly logical, smiled. “Really?”

Joshua nodded and chuckled. “Can’t lie while I’m wearing this suit now can I, sweetie?” He rose and moved back towards the tree. “I have to do my thing and get on the road, still more houses to visit.”

Joshua waved his hand and a shower of golden sparks danced around the Christmas tree, circling and growing until the entire tree was covered by light. And then, suddenly, the light flared and was gone. And the tree was surrounded by brightly-wrapped gifts that had not been there before.

“Wow,” Ruth exclaimed softly, “that was amazing!”

Joshua nodded knowingly. “Yeah, it’s still kind of cool to me, too. You just have to believe in magic, Ruth,” he said, “because it’s everywhere. Never forget that.”

Ruth nodded. “I won’t, Joshua,” she replied earnestly, “I promise.”

“There’s a good girl.” Joshua turned and held out his hand. “It’s time for you to get back to sleep, little one.”

Ruth smiled up at the big man. “Are there any more Santas?”

Joshua nodded. “Yeah, it’s a big job and Nick needed some help to get to all the good little boys and girls on Christmas Eve.”

“Wow,” Ruth said thoughtfully.

“You want to know the big difference between me and ol’ St. Nick?” Joshua asked impishly. He puffed himself up and struck a playful pose. “I make this suit look good!”

Ruth giggled. “You stole that line from Will Smith.”

Joshua sighed heavily. “Everyone’s a critic.”

Joshua knelt down and looked into the little girl’s face. “Have a very happy Christmas, Ruth Wilson,” he said tenderly.

Ruth threw her arms around Joshua’s neck and hugged him tightly. “You too, Joshua.” Joshua hugged the girl and chuckled warmly. Ruth stood back and smiled. “You laugh just like the doctor on ‘The Simpsons’,” she said.

Joshua rolled his eyes again. “Yeah I get that all the time,” he admitted ruefully.

“Yo, Santa!” an impatient voice suddenly called out down the chimney, “get a move on, dude, we’re behind schedule here!”

Joshua sighed. “Nothing worse than an impatient elf,” he deadpanned. His hand began to glow as he raised it towards Ruth’s astonished face. “Sleep tight, little one,” he said in a rich, warm tone that reminded Ruth of her grandfather, “tonight and every night.

The light danced from Joshua’s finger and enveloped the little girl. Ruth felt herself drifting off to sleep…and she felt herself floating off the floor.

“Joshua?” she said as she floated up away from Joshua. “How many Santas are there?”

Joshua looked up and smiled. “There are millions, sweetheart,” he said, “millions all over the world.”

And then he smiled again and added, “And only one. There is only one Santa Claus, Ruth Wilson.”

Ruth Wilson drifted off to deep sleep just as the light gently deposited her in her bed. The sound sleigh bells and merry chuckling went with her as she returned to her dreams. In the morning she would not remember Joshua but she would know the magic…and on a glorious Christmas morning that is exactly the way it should be.