Christmas Greetings and My Wish for Christmas
As we near Christmas, I want to extend my wishes for a joyous Christmas season to you and your family. May the new year be filled with health and happiness.
I know for many, the holidays are a difficult time of year. Christmas can be overwhelming for those who have lost a loved one. Others may find themselves with no family or friends with whom to celebrate, and more may be struggling to overcome a challenging illness, loss of job, or financial instability. Please know my thoughts are with you.
Recently, I was asked to participate in “A Christmas Wish List Challenge” for writers. While many who participated created a typical wish list, I couldn’t help but remember those who were struggling in some way and didn’t have the luxury of making such a list.
I also reflected on the past six years when my only wish was to find answers and healing for my child who was fighting a chronic, debilitating, invisible illness. I had one wish: for him to be well.
During those difficult years, holiday festivities did not exist. The joyous memories of the past faded into the distance, becoming harder to recall.
But this year, I am beyond grateful my wish has come true and my prayers have been answered. With a lightness not known for six years, I fondly remember Christmas traditions and look forward to what the new year brings.
What follows is my submission, recently published in Illumination on Medium.
My Christmas Wish
And a message from Mr. Claus
While it’s been years since I’ve written a Christmas wish list or letter to Santa, I have had the pleasure of writing letters for Santa for many years.
You didn’t know Santa used ghostwriters?
When I was tagged by Jack Bohannan in a “X-mas Challenge” for Medium writers, I was inspired to share my take on the challenge and considered the tradition of writing letters to Santa.
Letters from Santa
Like most children, my son loved the catalog of toys that arrived in November, but he was not interested in the newest, latest, greatest… He struggled to make a Christmas list every year.
Rather than pressing him to create a list and write a letter, I turned the tables on this tradition. I wrote a letter from Santa to my son.
I wanted him to know that his kindness and appreciation for people, not things, deserved acknowledgment.
And who better to hear it from than Santa?
From Mr. C…
On Christmas morning, not only would my son find a dish of cookie crumbs, an empty glass of milk, and a red sack of goodies from Santa, but he also found a letter from Mr. C himself.
Santa often wrote how proud he was of the little boy that was growing and changing. He wrote about his kindness toward others. Every year, Santa highlighted a trait evident throughout the previous year.
A lesson, an observation, something my son needed to hear.
After squeals of excitement from the sight of brightly wrapped packages, he would ask me to read Santa’s letter. This tradition continued for many years until he announced one day it was okay not to write Santa’s letter.
Sad to see this wonderful tradition end, I continued writing. This time the letter was a list of my observations included in his Christmas card, which became the first thing he opened on Christmas morning.
This new tradition continues today, and I hope it is carried forward to future generations.
If you’re a parent reading this and have never considered authoring a Santa letter for your child, try it this year! I promise you won’t regret it and your children will love it too.
Note: I printed the letter using a scroll-like script and tied it to the Santa sack. Don’t forget to hide the file on your computer if your child is a computer whiz and likes to snoop.
The Gift of Giving
…Back to my Christmas list. Because I’ve always found more joy in giving than receiving, my list is a wish list for others.
Not because I have everything I need or want. Trust me, I want my business to grow and prosper, and I want to create financial security for my family and me. I also wouldn’t mind replacing my 10-year-old vehicle, but in time and with continued hard work, all my wants will be met.
In the meantime, I think Mr. C would approve of this wish list.
10 Things I Wish For This Christmas
1. Healing for those who are ill and suffering from invisible or unknown illnesses.
2. Compassion for those who are struggling after the loss of a loved one or the worsening of a health condition.
3. Kindness for those who are alone this holiday season. (If you’re hosting family or friends, invite that person to join your celebration.)
4. Acceptance for those with different beliefs. For a day, open your mind, put your feelings aside, and consider an alternative viewpoint.
5. Strength and resiliency for those struggling with illnesses, addiction, or homelessness.
6. Charity for those in need of a helping hand — a hot meal, a warm coat, a place to lay their head.
7. Gratitude for those you’ve taken for granted.
8. Forgiveness for those who didn’t know better.
9. Love for all who supported you when you needed it most.
10. Renewed faith for those who have lost hope.
That’s my list. It’s not the list I made when I was a child, but it’s the list that matters to me today.
And like Mr. C., I hope to bring a little happiness and magic to those who need it most.
I think Santa would approve.