On why Santa did not come to my house.

Santa did not come to my house this Christmas. Why would he, my daughter didn’t hang her socks this time. For the past so many years she had hung her best socks in the terrace on Christmas Eve.

It all started when my six year old daughter’s teacher told her about Santa and his sledge.  “Papa, does Santa really come to our homes at night and distribute gifts,” she had asked innocently. “Yes beta”, I had told her. “So If I hang my socks on the terrace, will he fill it with chocolates”.  She was still doubtful. “Yes, if you have faith in Santa, he will”. Since then every year on the Christmas Eve, I used to bring home a lot of chocolate and fill her socks when she was asleep.  First thing she did the next morning was run to the terrace to check her sock. How excited she got when she found the toffees. “Papa look Santa gave me “Fruit & Nut” while I had asked for “Crackles”. She got “Crackles” the next Christmas.

That Christmas eve, I returned late from my clinic and forgot to buy chocolates. Nishtha had gone to sleep.  My wife told me, “Nish has hung a big sock on the terrace. Now what will she feel when she will wakeup in the morning.”

“Oh she will feel excited; his Daddy Santa will fill her socks with toffees.” I told her and went back in search of any open shop. It was late and the only shop I found open didn’t had chocolates. So Santa filled her socks with cheap candies.

“Papa what happened to Santa this time? Didn’t he get chocolates at north pole?”  She asked jokingly.  She was fifteen now. “Papa” she continued, “I know, it’s you who fill my socks with toffees. Tushar Bhaiya told me that Santa is a just a story.” I was sad. I knew she had grown up.  “Tushar is telling you a lie, Beta. I don’t fill your socks with chocolates. It’s all because of your faith. If you believe in Santa and hang your socks, he will come every time with gifts.”

This Christmas, she didn’t hang her socks. The toffees I had brought for her are still lying in my briefcase.