A CHRISTMAS CONFESSION 2010

Originally published in Dec. 2007.

As you can see from the picture I posted earlier, I had a very

formal relationship with Santa. No laps for me. A simple solemn

pose would do, thank you, for the photo-op.


Formal attire was also worn when visiting Santa’s Village up in

New Hampshire. A sports jacket was de rigeur for the feeding of

reindeer but one was allowed to be more casual when posing with

the sled and full team. The girls are my cousin Terry and my

sister Cheryl.

Actually, I think we might have been there on a Sunday. We’d

have attended Mass in Berlin and probably continued on home

with a stop to visit the Village.

But by the time those pictures were taken, I’d fallen from grace.

Yes, I no longer believed in Santa Claus. I’m not sure how I

figured it out but I do know I must have been around six or seven

years old because we were still living in Malden in the two family

house that my folks and my aunt and uncle co-owned. I know this

because when I found out there was no Santa Claus, I shared my

knowledge and heard about it for years afterwards.

Yes, I told my cousins who lived downstairs. I think that was the

year I got a lump of coal in my stocking (but there were still

presents under the tree.)

I’m not sure if I told my sister the awful truth later or if she

found out some other way. I do know I didn’t tell my kid brother.

After all, I was an adult by then and I had a greater appreciation

for what Santa meant to little kids by then!

But there it is.

I squealed on Santa.