Santa is on his way! I am sure happy the government shutdown is over so the air traffic controllers can navigate his sleigh!
As a child, I eagerly tuned in to every moment of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on television, watching until the very end. When Santa finally made his grand entrance on his magical sleigh, my enthusiasm would erupt into squeals of excitement. My mother would wear aprons and earmuffs throughout most of Thanksgiving Day.
Mama always believed that the Lord must have sprinkled me with pixie dust from the North Pole when I was born. To this day, I still believe in the magic of Christmas. I also tend to get a little crazy from early October until the New Year.
It’s not entirely my fault that I was born nine months after Christmas and arrived with an unusual birthmark on my left upper arm. This unique mark resembled a perfect Christmas tree inside a container, flawlessly proportioned in both shape and size.
“Hey, you have a Christmas tree on your arm!” kids would exclaim during the summer months when short sleeves and swimsuits were the norm.
I loved that old birthmark because I figured the Lord wanted me to always carry Christmas with me. It finally faded away during my middle-aged years, but the pixie dust and my kidlike spirit stayed.
“I know that’s right!” Mama says from Heaven each year. It’s true; I can still squeal with delight when walking down the Christmas aisles at Hobby Lobby today.
A dear friend of mine became a grandpa this year. He and his wife were so excited to welcome their little girl that their joy was infectious to everyone around them. In January, I had the idea to create some magic and make the new baby her very first Christmas stocking.
I discovered a pattern and began cross-stitching the design. I had not attempted such a feat since the tree faded off my arm, but I thought, “Why not? “Of course, I overlooked the fact that my eyesight had also faded. To help with the project, my husband gifted me a special lighted magnifying glass.
It took me about eight months to complete, but there was something about that stocking that seemed more than enchanted. With each stitch, I relived the Christmas Eves I shared with my family.
We hung our stockings by the chimney with care as I waited, not so patiently, for Santa. Each year, he would leave an orange, a tangerine, and an apple, along with a Mr. Goodbar. Santa knew I liked all four, and I made sure to eat every bite because I certainly didn’t want to disappoint the big guy.
When I finally gave the stocking to the new grandchild, I wrote her a letter. In part, it read:
“Dear Sweet Baby Girl,
You don’t know me, but those who do are certain I am the Queen of Christmas (or at least I
like to think so). After making your first stocking, I sprinkled some pixie dust inside to ensure that the Christmas spirit will be with you every day of your life, just as it has been with me.
Every year since my children were babies, I have made a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve. Although there is Santa, toys, decorations, and candy, there is no gift greater than Christ.
You will understand this in your own time because that’s how it is meant to be. Even though your family adores you, remember that Jesus loves you even more.
As I approach my later years, I still hold onto a childlike wonder for Christmas because I remain God’s child.
May your stocking always be filled with treasures, memories, joy, and a sprinkle of pixie dust.
With love,
The Queen of Christmas”
As I look toward the future, I don’t know if I will still be here when this little one begins to understand the true meaning of Christmas. However, I can certainly sense the magic in the air because Christ is still present.
My granddaughter is now approaching 21, and she shares the same Christmas spirit I do. It may be hereditary, or perhaps the Queen of Christmas sprinkled some pixie dust on her. One can never be sure about such enchanted occurrences.
As we age, we often lose our sense of wonder regarding the unseen mystical powers of love, joy, and the Holy Spirit. Our excitement for Christmas as children usually fades, much like my birthmark and the old stocking that Mama hung with care. However, this shouldn’t be the case, because Christmas reminds us that the birth of Christ is the greatest gift we have ever received. It is a gift that never ages, never fades away, and is always sprinkled with a touch of magic.
So, let’s embrace the season with joy each day and rekindle the childlike wonder that still lives in our hearts.
_____
Lynn Walker Gendusa began her writing career as a columnist for the LaGrange News. Today, her essays are featured regularly throughout Georgia and Tennessee. Her work also appears in Guidepost, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal, MSN.com, among others. Lynn has authored two books; the latest, “Southern Comfort,” was published in 2022. She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com. For more of her inspirational stories, click here.
