I’d like to introduce you to the 2nd Place Winner of The Green Study Holiday Humor Contest, Elyse from FiftyFourandAHalf. I “met” her during the Company for Christmas blog-a-thon and she quickly submitted an entry – thanks, Elyse! The 2nd Place winner had a donation made on her behalf to the Red Cross.

Shattered Belief

by Elyse at FiftyFourandAHalf

Jacob was 8 years old and still believed in Santa with all his heart.  No matter how many of his friends showed him just why Santa couldn’t possibly be real, Jacob found it in his heart to believe. It was getting awkward.  He was 8, and big for his age.  Nobody else in his class still believed.

It was 1999, and my husband, John, our 8 year old son Jacob and I were living in Geneva, Switzerland, where English language books were extremely expensive.  So naturally, in early December, Jacob’s teacher announced that the entire class needed to get a particular and particularly expensive dictionary by the beginning of 2000 for home use.  Locally it was tres cher.  But we found it for a reasonable price on Amazon.co.uk.  Being good parents, we ordered it.

It arrived two days before Christmas.  And on Christmas Eve, I wrapped it up.

“I’ll take the hit for this one,” I told my husband, knowing that Jacob would not appreciate getting a dictionary for Christmas.

“Nah,” said John.  “Mark it from Santa.”

I didn’t think much about it, but I followed John’s suggestion.  Santa had another gift for Jacob.

When Christmas morning arrived, Jacob got great gifts from Santa:  an electric car race track, skiis and one more present.

“Feels like a book,” Jacob said, eagerly opening it.  And then he looked at the cover.

“There’s no such thing as Santa.” Jacob cried.  “Santa would never have given me a dictionary!”

Congratulations, Elyse!

Be sure to check out her blog and some of her favorite posts:

• Home for Christmas
• An International Life of Crime
• For Medicinal purposes only