Christmas Letters, VI

You can see the other Christmas Letters posts here:  I, II, III, IV, & V. 

The Christmas Mice in their Christmas Eve
fashion show.

Our Christmas Eve traditions changed as the Westermeyer Christmas parties changed from Christmas Eve to a different day in December, and eventually ended.  My family began attending Midnight Mass at St Peters each Christmas Eve instead. of course, Christmas morning we opened our presents, always a magical time.

My wife's family had their own Christmas Eve traditions. Her family was much smaller, but the grandparents, children, and grand children gathered at the grandparents house each Christmas Eve.  Bellringer the Elf would dodge grandpa, leaving a garbage bag of presents (usually stuffed animals) for Kelly and her cousin on the porch, announced by a ringing door bell. Later, while listening to Christmas Carols, she and her cousin would cut wrapping paper and ribbons to dress the Christmas Mice. On Christmas Day, the extended family would all come for a roast beef dinner.  

For years, Kelly and I were lucky enough to live the traditions of both our families.  We would go to her grandparents Christmas Eve for the Christmas Mice and Bellringer, then go to Midnight Mass and spend the evening at my parents house We'd celebrate Christmas morning with my family, opening presents around the tree, and then go back to her grandparents for Christmas dinner.

By the time we had our own kids, however, those traditions were also sadly ending. Kel and I worked to combine our traditons for the kids.  On Christmas Eve she and our kids dressed the Mice, and Bellringer brought a bag of garbage, only now it included a letter from Santa Claus (which my kids were never particularly interested in but Santa wrote them anyway - he writes whether anyone reads the letters or not. 😉).  We ate sandwiches with really good deli meats and bread for christmas Eve dinner, like we often had at the Westermeyer christmas parties.When the kids went to bed, Kel and I watched It's a Wonderful Life while we waited to help Santa put the gifts under the tree.  Sometimes my parents were able to come and spend Christmas with us, they usually went to Midnight Mass, and returned in the morning.  I then always fixed a roast beef dinner on Christmas Day, with mashed potatoes, and pies, and dressing.  

Our kids are adults now, but we are trying to keep the traditions alive.  So far, so good, but there are a few changes. The Mice are still decorated and Bellringer still comes, but the kids stayed up later, this year they even watched It's a Wonderful Life.  On Christmas day we have started watching A Christmas Story.  

The next to last letter saw more Bellringer heroics, and more of Frau Perchta and the Goblins. And the reindeer added a post-script, since we had a new dog, Fae. 

🎅Santa’s Workshop  

No. 1 Santa Claus Lane

Christmas Town, The North Pole

Dec 24th, 2013                                                                            

Dearest Ren & Tori,

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  Another year on the nice list, I see… though perhaps you could work on doing your chores a bit more cheerfully? They are rarely fun, I know… you should hear Bellringer moan when it is his turn to shovel out the reindeer stalls! But he knows the reindeer deserve to be properly taken care of. But I can see how hard you both work to be good, and I am very proud of you. I know your parents must be as well. 

Sadly we have had another rough year at the North Pole. The elves, polar bears, and reindeer have been working hard all year, as always, but that evil Frau Perchta is still lurking about, spinning her evil plots. You recall Frau Perchta? She is the evil witch who used to follow me on Christmas Eve to punish wicked children, until I caught her punishing good children and banished her. And last year, she joined the goblins and they snuck into the storage caves beneath my castle. Bellringer discovered them, and there was a great battle that drove Perchta and the evil goblins away, but they had stolen many of the toys my elves had made that year.

Frau Perchta took those toys over the summer and worked her evil magics on them. She brought them to life, something a child’s love will often do. But toys loved by a child are good and loving themselves, Frau Perchta’s magics brought the toys alive and filled them with anger, spite, and hatred. 

Bellringer was again our savior! He was out skiing at Halloween night, enjoying the Northern Lights, the stars, and the moon. He saw the dark mass of Perchta’s horde flowing across the icefields towards my castle at the North Pole. The goblins were still with her, of course, but she had added more monstrous creatures – there were great werewolves that the goblins rode upon, and giant ogres Perchta had awakened from centuries of sleeping in deep caves beneath the earth. 

Bellringer sped across the snow and ice to the castle, ringing his bells loudly and sounding the alarm. The elves, polar bears, and Nutcrackers all sprang to the castle walls, and with so much warning, it seemed the battle would be a simple one. Perchta’s savage goblins could not breach the walls, and the Nutcrackers’ muskets knocked goblin after goblin over. Soon the elves were launching Mistletoe Missiles (forcing the Goblins to stop and kiss each other) while cannons fired great fruitcakes into the wolves. All Christmas Town echoed to the sounds of caroling as the goblins, wolves, and ogres were forced back. 

Finally, the battle ended. Poor Bellringer was covered with red welts, he had fought with Frau Perchta herself and she beat him horribly with her willow switch. Finally, she fled as the great Polar Bears came upon her… and she knew she could not face them. 

We were all resting and enjoying some much needed hot cocoa when Belsnickel, Bellinger’s brother, came rushing up from the ice caverns.  The toys that Perchta had enchanted used the battle as a distraction and sneaked into our storerooms. They destroyed many of the new toys, and they infected others with their evil – so that we had to sort through all the good toys to find the bad toys so no child would get something so dangerous. I think we have them all, but we must be extra careful packing the sleigh this year! 

        Sadly, this means that once again, though no child will be forgotten many will not get all they wanted this year. The elves and I have tried so hard… but many children seem to have become infected by Frau Perchta’s greed and naughtiness and they ask for so many toys, more than they could play with. I only hope the love with which the elves and I give shall make them happy.  

        But away with gloom and sadness! Bellringer shall deliver this letter when he preps your home, as always.  Have the Merriest of Christmases and a very Happy New Year!  

                                                        ‘Til next year 

Santa Claus

P.S. We herd u have a dawg… pls keep dawg on leash and tell it not to bark at flying sleighs! 

P.P.S. Don’t ferget the oats!

Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner,& Blitzen

Santa stopped sending letters, as he usually does, when the kids reached a certain age.  I understand that Santa started sending letters to my niece after that, I hope she enjoys them. Maybe someday we'll have grand kids who will get garbage bags of toys and letters from Bellringer. 

And this was the final letter Santa sent. 

🎅Santa's Workshop  

No. 1 Santa Claus Lane

Christmas Town, The North Pole

Dec 24th, 2014                                                                            

Dearest Ren & Tori,

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  Ren, I understand that you’ve discovered my secret – that I live mostly in the realms of spirit, magic, and imagination. Tori, I understand, has long assumed this. I am sorry this caused you pain, Ren. No one ever wanted that. 

Parents provide much of my magic, I exist because of the great love they have for their children.  Your parents love you both very, very much, of course. And your father has always been especially devoted to me, and I think he always will be. He still believes, and he has always been very enthusiastic about me and all the myths and stories about me. Christmas is a very special time for him, and he always wants it to be special for you as well. But you are both your own people, and do not have to think or act like he does. I bet that is a relief! 

Now the torch passes on to you, it is your turn to help keep the magic alive for younger children, like your cousin and eventually your own kids. I shall greatly miss you both; even we of mist and magic have feelings.

                                             ‘Til you have children of your own, 

             Santa Claus