I still Believe

       It's probably no coincidence that a child questions the existence of Santa Claus shortly after he begins going to school.  There is always some "no-it-all" eight year old who can hardly wait to be the one to burst the Santa bubble.  And of course, it isn't long before the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy myths are dispelled with as well.
       I remember when Lora came home from school and told me that someone had told her there was no Santa.  I asked her how she could believe that because every year didn't we put out cookies and milk on Christmas Eve and weren't they gone the next morning?  And weren't there always presents under the tree?  "But ..... said that You and Dad buy things and say it's Santa."   "Well", answered I, "Maybe parents do buy things but all I know is that when there is no extra money, there always seems to be enough for gifts so that money has to come from somewhere, so there must be a Santa."  And I stuck by my story because it was true.  No matter how bad the economy or our circumstances, we always found the money to give the girls a pretty nice Christmas.  I also encouraged her to not say anything to Leah or any of her sisters because now that she was grown up enough to think this way, if she said something it might ruin it for the others.  And as far as I know she didn't tell and when the others came of age, they didn't come to me but Lora told them what she suspected  and asked them not to "spoil" it for Leah and the younger ones.  Then one day, Leah told me she didn't believe anymore and I asked her to keep the secret and not to tell anyone.  Maureen, our youngest daughter,  told me some years back that when she questioned the existence of the Jolly Old Elf, an older sibling told her that yes it was true, but not to say anything  because it would ruin it for me because I still believed.
         For a lot of years, we invited my parents, David and Suzanne, Grandma Scovil, Aunt Pearl and Uncle Roy Elliot  and/or any combination of this group along with Judy and Bill to come to the house on Christmas Eve for a party.  My Aunt Juanita always came too and with her came Santa Claus - in reality her husband, Bob Mohn -  I rented the suit the first year and then he acquired one for himself.  He spent time with our six and Judy's two - Michelle was way in the future.  Someone always brought Bob some cookies and egg nog.  His nog laced with something quite a bit stronger.  Then they were on their way, I think they went to cousin Ben's house and to visit other places.
        Five of the six daughters were born between August 20th and September 21st and one was born on January 13.  So that Christmas, I was pretty pregnant and uncomfortable and that was the year I began catalog shopping  and still like shopping that way.  We would get Christmas catalogs from Sears, Penneys and Spiegels.  By the time, December 25th came along, the toy catalogs had lost their covers and the girls letters to Santa specified catalog company, page number and catalog number.  I remember them lying on the floor, catalogs in front of them, writing out their lists.  And the older one's helping the younger ones write out their preferences.  I always tried to hide the catalogs when they first came so I could read them intact.
       The girls always got to open one present on Christmas Eve.  For a week before they scoped out which one they would open and how disappointed were they when the one they chose happened to be underwear or socks.  Then dressed in a new pair of pajamas, they would go to bed and by 5:00 A.M. they were up to see what Santa had brought.  Santa, while they were in bed - not sure they were sleeping -  had brought numerous unwrapped gifts and  that always included a book of LifeSavers from a special someone.
        This happened every year in pretty much the same way when they were growing up.  I hope they have good memories of those times, I do and that is why I still believe in Santa Claus because the memories are as wonderful as those Christmases so long ago.