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Christmas signs were everywhere. Everyone could tell that Christmas was drawing near even though it was the first week of December. Even from the first few weeks in November, the sounds of Christmas carols could be heard all around. The poinsettias looked as though they were smiling a lot as to the anticipation of the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas trees and lights could be seen in most of the houses on the richer side of town. However, in Jimmy’s neighborhood, there wasn’t any great anticipation for the season. Jimmy had finished working over by Miss Peterson and he was now in search of a temporary job. He had great expectations for the coming New Year, however, New Year’s resolution would have to wait. Jimmy set out on the first day of December to seek another job. The toy company he had been before wasn’t taking any new workers since they had more employees than they needed. The only reason why some of them weren’t fired was because of the Christmas season. Jimmy set out and visited the mall where he had often been earlier in the year. He saw that most of the stores especially the clothing ones were beautifully decorated with Christmas lights and trees that illuminated the scene. He saw a huge toy store by the name of “Mcsperky Toys” and he went inside to see what kind of toys they had. He approached the window and glimpsed a bit. He saw one toy that looked like the one he designed back at his former company, but because it was over the other section he had to go right in there to see. He went to the section where he saw all the toys in rows on the shelves, and he looked specifically at the ones which he saw outside the window. And it was the ones he had designed. It was a train set that was suitable for children ages five to ten. It was a complete set to be exact. As he looked at it, a woman came to him and said, “Sir, are you interested in that train set?”
Jimmy looked at her taking his eyes off the train set and said, “Oh, no Miss. I’m just looking at it.” The woman who seemed to be the sales manager told Jimmy about the train set. Jimmy looked at her once again and said, “Yeah, I know how the train set works, I was the one who designed it.”
The saleswoman looked shocked and said, “Sir, are you telling the truth?”
Jimmy replied to her, “Yes when I worked for a former toy company I worked on some designs of that particular train set along with some other toys.”
“So you are a toy designer then?” asked the woman.
“Yes, I worked in the toy industry for several years. However, due to circumstances, I’m seeking a job,” replied Jimmy as he looked around the toy store which was quite huge and had many people.
The thought then came to the woman who identified herself as the sales manager for Macsperky Toys that they were seeking a toy store, Santa Claus. She asked Jimmy, “Sir, would you be interested in working at Macsperky Toys for the holidays?”
Jimmy was a bit surprised since he didn’t see any sign which said ‘Workers needed or Job vacancy’. So he asked the woman who seemed to be in her fifties, “Miss, what would I be required to do here?”
The woman looked around a bit and then said, “Ah, nothing just be the store Santa Claus nothing much. You like toys right? Just think of working with children.” said the sales manager.
Jimmy looked around and saw all the kids and said to the woman, “Sure, I’m interested. Christmas needs Santa Claus right?”
The woman smiled and said, “That’s settled then. You’ll work seven days a week. And you’ll get 15 dollars per hour. Can you start today?”
Jimmy was happy in his heart and he said, “Sure. I can start right now.”
Jimmy wondered if he could be Santa Claus. The woman then said, “Fine. Go around the back of the store and you’ll see a Santa Claus suit and a pair of big black boots. It should be your size. Put them on and when you’re finished come around here. Also tell the security that McQueen had sent you and that you’re the new store, Santa Claus.”
Jimmy hoped these clothes could fit, after all, he wasn’t that fat as the real Santa Claus if there were such a person.
Jimmy did what he was instructed, and as he walked through the store he felt a bit relieved that he found a job for Christmas so quickly and he didn’t go to several stores first. He knew that when fate was on his side everything was possible. When he went to the back of the store he told the security officer who was a fat man who looked as though he was in the army the instructions that the sales manager had given to him. The security officer had no choice but to obey. The security officer said to him, “Now look here try not to steal anything from the store. I’m keeping an eye on you.”
Jimmy looked at him perplexed and replied, “Sure Sir, I’m not a thief.” The security officer then identified himself as Clive Barnswell. Jimmy also introduced himself. After Jimmy put on the Santa suit and boots he stood in front of the mirror and he looked at himself how he looked like the real Santa Claus. He went to the front where the sales manager was and she was impressed at how well the suit looked on him. The sales manager showed him where he would work at the front. His area was marked by the sign which said, ‘Santa’s Workshop.’ Jimmy’s work was that kids would sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. It was just a Christmas tradition for decades. Children knew that Santa Claus wasn’t real, however, the toy store would get more revenue when parents bought the toys for their kids from the available stock. The store even had a five percent discount on nearly every toy already from cars to trucks, dolls to balls, and every other toy. It was just nine o’clock in the morning and Santa would start to work at nine-thirty a.m. so there was enough time for Jimmy to have settled in. The customers were piling up in their numbers with their kids already. This was how Christmas used to be when Jimmy was a little boy growing up. He remembered shopping with his parents in those days when there weren’t so many modern things. However, he remembered that his family was always happy especially at Christmas. It wasn’t like his present-day where the Christmas spirit was losing its status in society. The children were now lining up in the line to see Santa Claus, although it was just nine-fifteen. Jimmy looked through the window of the store and he saw that the streets were very busy with people in their coats since it was a bit chilly. However, the day was still fresh and bright. He looked over in the park where there was a tall pine tree that the mayor had ordered to be decorated with Christmas lights and other decorations. There was also under the tree or at least near to it the town’s great Nativity Scene. Inside the toy store next to Santa’s Workshop was a nativity scene too. There was baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, three wise men, and some farm animals. Jimmy looked at his watch again and he realized it was nine-thirty and he hurried to begin his work. He also noticed that there were two other workers from the store that were dressed as elves. The elves were the ones who presented the kids to Santa Claus. Jimmy sat in his Santa’s chair and the kids looked anxious to meet Santa Claus. The first child was a young girl no more than five-years-old and she looked like she had an entire journal of what she wanted for Christmas. The elves called her up and presented her to Jimmy who was Santa Claus. Jimmy had a new voice one which sounded like Santa Claus. He said to the little girl as she sat on his lap, “Ho, ho, ho, what is your name? And what do you want for Christmas?”
The little girl replied and she smiled, “Santa Claus, my name is Lucy, and this is what I want for Christmas: First, I want a big doll that I can play with. I also want a puppy. And also, I want Santa to get me a nice coloring book.”
Jimmy smiled at her and said, “Ho, ho, I’m sure Santa will get you what you want for Christmas.” The little girl hugged Santa Claus and then stepped down to her mom. The next kid in line was a little boy who seemed to be about six-years-old he stepped up and sat on Santa’s lap. Jimmy said to him, “Ho, ho, ho, and young man, what do you want for Christmas this year?”
The young boy replied, “Santa Claus, I want a basketball and a soccer ball, and by the way, I want my dad home for Christmas.”
Jimmy knew that the basketball and the soccer ball could be granted, however, of the father he wasn’t certain. Was he to lie to the kid and say, ‘Sure kid Santa Claus will bring your father to you for Christmas?’ No. he couldn’t. After all, where was the kid’s father? In prison, in the military overseas, or dead? He thought and thought, and then said to the kid, “Where is your dad now?”
“Oh, he’s overseas in the army.” replied the boy.
Jimmy got his guess right. “I’m sure your father will try to make it in time for Christmas. Why don’t you ask your mom to call and remind him? You can speak to him as well.” said Jimmy.
The young boy nodded his head and agreed. Afterward, he stepped down and told his mom what Santa had told him. The mom looked at Jimmy quite pleased.
The next in the line was another little girl. She looked to be about seven-years-old. She stepped up in line to see Santa. However, she didn’t look that happy, so Jimmy said to her with a smile, “Ho, ho, ho, and young lady what can Santa Claus get you for Christmas?”
“The young girl looked at Jimmy and said, “Santa, I need my mom and dad to get back together for Christmas.”
Jimmy thought for a moment and realized this job as Santa Claus wasn’t as easy like he had originally thought. He laughed in his heart and said, ‘These kids are something else.’ However, he knew that some of these issues were very important and not a joke. He wondered how he could tell a child that her parents were getting back together when he didn’t even know if that were the case. This was a serious thing. Based on his answer he could be fired. If he said, ‘Sure kid, Santa Claus will get your parents back together as a married couple for Christmas’, then, he would risk giving false hope and expectations to the young girl. He wished now the real Santa Claus was there and not the imposter like himself. Nevertheless, he replied to the young girl, “I’m sure your mom and dad love you very much. This Christmas, I’m sure they are planning how to give you the best present. Santa Claus can’t promise that your parents will get back together for Christmas, however, you and Santa can hope for the best. Now, do you promise you will hope for the best?”
The Little girl looked at him and nod her head in agreement. She was not sad anymore but rather had a smile on her face. Jimmy was glad that he could have helped those kids. He knew that not every child wanted toys, but some wanted something like love, time, effort, and devotion. The parents that came with their children were happy as well. The sales manager was impressed and glad that she had made the right choice and hired Jimmy. Jimmy worked from nine-thirty a.m. to five p.m. after which he went home. He changed his clothes and signed out. As he walked through the busy street, he reflected on his experiences of the day and how his job wasn’t as easy like he had originally thought. It was one thing to tell a child anything he or she wanted to hear, but the expectation was what differentiated everything. He knew false expectations led to false results. He walked past the other stores and saw some people laughing and talking on the road. There was even the sign of fireworks over the park where the nativity scene was. He remembered his friend Bobby as well. He was no more at the shelter, but he was working on a few houses that the shelter supervisor had told him about. It was carpentry for the most part, but at least he wasn’t staying at the shelter again. He stayed at an apartment on a good side of town. He no more walked in bad luck, but his luck had changed for good. Jimmy guessed that Bobby’s fate wasn’t twisted, but it was always meant to be filled with blessings. Bobby knew that he was privileged to have met Jimmy and that it was all thanks to fate. Jimmy reflected on the past few weeks of his life and that he didn’t feel like a total failure or even the worst person in the world, but as he looked in the town he realized it could have been a lot worse. He heard the voice of chorales as they sang ‘O Holy Night’ and Jimmy indeed knew it was a holy night in his life as his eyes gazed upon the stars above. He saw customers putting Christmas trees in their vehicles and the smell of hot baked goods was all around. In the town, there were a lot of bakeries that supplied the citizens with fresh baked goods. It was ironic that the Christmas season was so magical, yet after it had ended people went back to their lifestyles. He wished for the New Year that people had this same spirit of kindheartedness and love. Jimmy didn’t quite believe in New Year’s resolutions, however, if he had one this would be one of them. An imaginary Christmas wish list was in his mind which he constantly read from. At the top was his family, the second was a new house one which could be his own, and the third was for the citizens of his town to adopt a better approach to how they lived and treated others. These were at the top of the list. The list included a dozen things he wanted in all. Jimmy wished for them without anyone knowing. He realized that it was a starry night as he looked towards heaven, and it seemed to be millions of stars in the sky as they shone and lit up the place. For the second time in years, he had seen such a scene depicting the splendid view of the universe in which he lived. The last time he saw such a scene was when he was twelve and he and his parents and other relatives camped in the woods. He didn’t drive his car since he could easily walk into town if he wished. Walking also freed his mind from the former chaos that had surrounded him earlier in the year and even a few weeks ago. He arrived home in the evening and was greeted with a kiss from his wife and a hug, and He knew nothing lasted forever, but he had to appreciate the good things which he had acquired thus far. Jessica was also happy to see him. He sat down and told them about his job as Santa Claus at the toy store in the town. They were happy for him that he got the job. Jessica thought it was kind of funny and weird for her dad to be Santa Claus in a sense since her dad never once pretended or acted like Santa Claus. Jimmy told Jessica that they were going to get a nice Christmas tree and some decorations, and she was very happy. She enjoyed decorating Christmas trees each Christmas with angels, stars, and shapes. Kathrine looked at both of them and smiled, then she went and prepared dinner.
