His beard and whiskers were white as snow. His red velvet suit showed wear, particularly on his lap where thousands of children sat. His sleigh was shiny red and just right for standing or sitting. He reminded his guests that the real meaning of Christmas was not “what” children will get for presents, but “who” came to earth on Christmas.

With his supreme diplomacy, Santa suggested and never lectured on the true meaning of Christmas. He encouraged children to discuss those details with their parents.

We stood in long lines that did not seem to advance. Our daughter was one year old when we first visited. She was fascinated by the tiny low windows where miniature toys depicted scenes of Christmas toys and the train that chugged along a track high above our heads. The years rolled on and then she was five, ten, twelve, fifteen, and on. We always went and he was always there.

There was a letter-writing station with pencils and papers in case someone had left their letter behind or that their dog ate it. Children as well as parents and grandparents wrote letters that Santa carefully read.

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A visit to The Real Santa was an adventure and a production. He would arrive at his Santa House the day after Thanksgiving and return to the North Pole several days before Christmas. During his stay, he would meet, greet, hear, and consider every child. He would nod if he approved of the requested gift and sometimes he would look up from a letter in alarm and say, “Mom or Dad . . . how would you feel if I delivered such a gift? Maybe I’ll bring you a blue scooter, instead.” We still remember the shock on his face when our daughter asked for the Dirty Dancing movie.

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Families lined up at Santa’s door sometimes hours before his arrival. There was popcorn and hot chocolate to tide hungry youngsters. Santa’s house was a work in progress. Every year, a new feature would be added to his beautiful displays. There were albums with letters and photos with/to Santa from the parents (when they were children) of the children standing in line.

Santa carefully red every letter and heard every whispered secret. His promises and instructions were to be followed exactly. “On Christmas Eve, I want you to place a small white plate on the kitchen table. On that plate place eight pieces of carrot for my reindeer and one cookie for me. In the morning, you will find a present wrapped in green tissue paper and tied with string. That will be a surprise for thee from me,” Santa told one spellbound child. Parents took copious notes. Before stepping away from the sleigh, Santa would smooth his beard, reach to his right, and produce a lollypop from his lollypop tree along with a beautiful small card depicting the Nativity . “Remember the real reason for Christmas,” he would tell the child while handing them the card and candy.

He was no “mall” Santa. He gave every child their due time and parents ample photography opportunities. As his house became more crowded and the lines grew longer, Santa would take a break and climb to the top of his roof . He spoke to his guests. He lead them in Christmas songs or read them stories or poems. Sometimes he spoke to the adults. One very memorable poem by an anonymous author, goes like this:

Santa attended to his visitors with love and understanding. “He knew if you were good or bad” and would call actions out, much to the surprise of his guest. Several incidences still have us wondering – how did he know?

When my daughter was four years old, she loved to leap into our bed at the crack of dawn. That Christmas, we visited Santa. As she prepared to step out of his sleigh, Santa called her back. Holding her tiny hand in his big hand, he looked her in the eye and said, “Now, you must stop jumping in your parents’ bed and stay in your own bed. Promise me that you will try. I will bring you a special present wrapped in white ribbon and will put it in front of your bedroom door.” Our early morning visits ended. Sure enough, there was a special present wrapped in white ribbon on the floor in front of her bedroom door. How did he know?

The year that my father passed away, my mother accompanied us on our visit. She stood near the sleigh to hear Santa’s instructions and reactions. He stopped, turned toward her and invited her into his sleigh. “Grandma, to you, I wish peace and calm. It will get better. He gave her a lollypop and a card. How did he know??

Because time with Santa transcends age, we visited him even when our daughter grew up. She loved to introduce children to the Real Santa.  She loved when her younger cousin visited. One year, her cousin was perplexed because she did not think that Santa would be able to find her at our house. As the girls were preparing to leave the sleigh, Santa cleared his throat, looked into the little girl’s eyes and softly told her, “Don’t you worry about my finding you. I always know where you are.” How did he know?

In a later year, again, with a younger friend, Santa listened and nodded to the younger child and to our daughter. Our daughter was a freshman in high school. As she was leading the young child out of the sleigh, Santa cleared his throat and tapped her on the shoulder and said, “You know, the things that hang on the rod of your closet are not mobiles. They are clothes hangers. You should use them. Hand up your clothes on those hangers and cleanup your room.” My husband and I were speechless as was she. How did he know?

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In 2018, Santa decided to take a break from the hustle and bustle of crowds and focus on his workshop. With internet and mobile phones, he adapted to the new technology. In his house, instead of his beautiful sleigh, was a blue mailbox for paper letters. Of course, supplies were provided. My Goddaughter drew him a beautiful picture as a gift and did not ask nothing for herself. We experienced the magic of Santa for 33 years and introduced many children and their families to him. Our memories with the Real Santa are priceless. Our Christmas tradition always included a visit to Santa at his house. We marveled at his creativity as each year, he added more and more displays. He never wavered from the true meaning of Christmas.

Wishing you and yours a merriest of Christmases and that you can carry the meaning of the season in your hearts throughout the New Year. And . . . Send Them to Bed with a Kiss.