Santa was invited to visit Gold Star Chili in West Chester on Tylersville Road last night. Dozens of families arrived to have Supper with Santa and enjoy a cheese coney or 4 way. It was wonderful to sit for a moment at each booth or table and visit. Not a group story, but lots of little stories....
How reindeer fly, how Mrs. Claus flew this year, why the sleigh was parked at the golf course down the hill, why West Chester didn't let Santa's sleigh and reindeer come to Gold Star... how the jingle bells were knocked off when Irving the elf landed the sleigh in that sand trap on the 11th hole at the golf course.
It was delightful.
Earlier in the day Santa visited a nursing home, told stories and handed out presents. Afterward, Santa was taken by a nurse and the activity director to visit folks who were not able to make it to the dining room.
The Christmas spirit is everlasting in the hearts of folks. They smiled and laughed with Santa. One dear lady told Santa she remembered him and even recognized his voice from when he would visit her when she was a child. It is said that hope springs eternal. The promise of the Babe in Bethlehem's manger is that hope is the message Santa was reminded by several.
So many told Santa they had been good this year. Several grinned a grin worthy of an elf and told Santa they had been naughty. Santa would laugh and suspected that may have been the case for them in childhood.
Tears came to Santa's eyes when one little girl early in the day told him that all she wanted was for her broken family to be together for Christmas just on more time. Santa is just a toymaker, a bringer of smiles and warmer of hearts.
He doesn't know how to heal broken hearts, his tools cannot repair lives shattered or fix a family. That must be the work of others.
Santa prays for those who do try to make those repairs. His eyes fill with tears when a little one asks for that, his white gloves wet as he wipes the tears away.
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