It was a normal chilly December night in Centreville, Alabama. The Christmas lights twinkled on the poles through town and people hurried on their way to finish up that last minute shopping list. Ginger had a term paper due in the morning and knew she must finish her research tonight. She gathered up her backpack and laptop then headed to the library to finish the last details of her report.
As Ginger walked down the sidewalk of town she looked up in the sky at the stars twinkling. Wow, she thought, the stars are ever so bright tonight! Then she noticed a streak streaming across the night sky, brighter then anything she had ever seen before. As she stared into the night sky she noticed the streak getting closer and closer to where she stood. Quickly she ducked as it zoomed over her head. What was that she screamed and ran toward the woods where the streaking light dissappeared.
Ginger was a very intelligent girl. She wanted to know everything about well everything. This was just what she had been waiting for, a new mystery to solve. Just beyond the tree line Ginger could see a bright glow coming from a huge hole in the ground. Quickly she hid behind a tree and watched as a man climbed up out of the trenching hole.
The man looked very familiar to Ginger. I know I have seen him before somewhere she thought. The man was a rather hefty man. His belly was big and round. He had on a red and white suit that looked oh so warm. He had a white beard that looked like a big fluffy cotton ball and his cheeks were rosey red. He wore black boots and smoked a pipe. Ginger could not believe her eyes. It is impossible she screamed, and grabbed her mouth. I hope he did not hear me she thought to herself.
The man looked around as if he was confused and disoriented. He stretched up and twisted from side to side as if he had been driving for quite a long time. As he stretched he groaned and made a sound. A sound that many have heard before, ho ho ho.
Ginger knew who the man was at that time. Her eyes she thought was deceiving her still though. How is it possible that the man standing there was the man she knew he had to be. She could not hold her joy any longer. She stepped from behind the tree and ran down the hill shouting Santa, you are real! The man quickly turned and looked at her. He smiled and said Ginger, I know you have been a good girl this year, haven’t you! Ginger looked stunned. How did he know her name? She had not told him and it wasnt written anywhere for him to see. She knew she was right.
Ginger still shocked and amazed asked the man if she was dreaming or if what was happening could be true. The man said Ginger I am as real as you are as he shook and laughed his jolly laugh. Ginger then asked how he planned to handle Christmas with his sleigh damaged, then she looked to see there was no sleigh, no reindeer, no plane, only the jolly fat man that stood before her.
The man smiled and looked back at Ginger. My child, he said, it is not Christmas yet and my sleigh is still at home. I only flew this way to see you tonight. Ginger, I have gotten reports from my elves lately that your belief in me had started dwindling and your Christmas spirit was fading just as fast. I had to come see for myself and prove to you that I am for real. Ginger started laughing. Well you have really put some belief back in my step she muttered.
Ginger looked at the man. Can I call you Santa? Yes, he said, Santa will do just fine. Can you prove to me with maybe a bit of magic that you are truely Santa then. Well, said the man, I normally would say no, but being as you have been doubting me so much these past few months I will if you promise to spread the joy and cheer. Ginger agreed . Santa looked down at her then and winked. Ok Ginger, open your packpack and look at your report, he said. Ginger did as Santa told her. In her backpack was a folder with the finalized term paper she had been working so hard to finish. Ginger smiled and said thank you Santa, I will definitely spread your cheer to everyone. Santa chuckled and told her he knew she was telling the truth, then asked her to close her eyes. Ginger did as he aked and when she opened them he was gone and she was at home sitting at her desk with her term paper laid out in front of her.