The Santa Files - My Friends Call Me Nick

In 1979, when I was 8 years old, Ontario Canada had seen one of the worst snow storms in history, in just one week, the week before Christmas. My family was driving to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, to spend Christmas with my Grandparents. My mom and dad thought that it would be a good idea for me and my brother to see Christmas in North.

We had to stop halfway during our 8-hour drive, to find shelter in a motel for the night, in Sudbury. It was December 23rd. My father, Chuck was having a hard time seeing the winding Northern Ontario roads and it was dark now, as driving through the harsh Canadian winter proved long and tedious. We rolled into the Motel about 9:00 PM, and parked in front of our room, when dad asked me to help him get the things out of the trunk of the car. As we were unpacking our light blue 1969 Ford Cortina, which consisted of a few pieces of luggage, and some food and games we had brought, along with the Christmas presents, I noticed there was nothing too big in the trunk; however, it filled the little trunk.

I remember thinking to myself, "Man these gifts are so small, how do they take up all the trunk space?" Then it occurred to me, that in my letter to Santa that year, I had asked for a Toboggan for Christmas, as the local Catholic school, St. Mary's nearby where we lived in Mississauga, came to the conclusion that Santa would never be able to get through this storm, let a lone" There was nothing too big, but it filled the little trunk. All of a sudden, I came to the conclusion that Santa would never be able to get through this storm, let a lone get me a toboggan. So I began to cry.

My father looked at _me and asked, ""What's wrong Matt?"""

"I was sobbing by this point, ""Santa can't get thro ugh this snow! He can't get me my toboggan for Christmas! How's he going to get all the children their toys and gifts?!?" My dad looked devastated, and I could tell he didn't know what to say. But before he could answer, this, a kindly old gentleman who had been staying the room beside us, and was out having a smoke of his pipe spoke up.

"Excuse me sir, I can't help but overhear your boy's concerns, may I offer some ideas for you?"""

"Certainly...Mr... I’m sorry I don't know your name," My father fumbled for the words.

"Oh, my friends call me Nick," He kindly offered.

"Nice to meet you Nick...I am Chuck and this is my son Matt!"

"Likewise, the same," Then Nick looked at me, "So how old are you, Matt?"" Nick loo ked genuinely interested in my answer.

"I'm eight sir!"

"Well, that's a right proper age to explain to you about how Santa deals with snow like this...I bet even Santa has had times, where he had to park his Reindeer on Christmas Eve...But I know for a fact that one Christmas Eve, Santa found out that he had this one reindeer, with an incredibly bright nose. that other reindeer thought was so silly...You know the one I am talking a bout?"

"Yeah! Rudolph!" I exclaimed!

"Well, you know how when your dad switches the lights in his ca r to High beams?"

"UH-HUH!" I was really getting excited!

"Well, Old Rudolph can make his nose shine brighter and brighter, until all the snow and fog cannot get in the way of flying through the clouds and fog, and snow"

"How do you know a II this Nick?" I was really curious by this point."

Nick Smiled at me and then took a puff of his pipe.

"You ever see a red light in the sky at Christmas Eve?" And of course, I had, "and have you ever wondered whether it was a plane or tower or something else?" I had always seen something on Christmas Eve and wondered. I nodded.

"Well then...Don't you think between that, and possibly 2 of breaking-down of the time continuum, with Christmas Magic, that Santa gets the gifts to all the good girls and boys?"

By this point I was so happy, I rushed up and hugged Nick. Then, I turned and looked at my dad and as if to say, I have to tell mom, he nodded to me and I ran into our motel room."

My Dad stayed behind and had a cigarette and talked a bit more with Nick for another hour. Then my dad said, "That was a brilliant analogy, Nick! Are you staying in this room next to us?"""

"Yes, I am. Room 1225" then he chuckled deeply, "But, I'm due home by tomorrow night, lots of gifts to deliver to all my friends and family! So, I'll be gone by the morning. Nice to meet you, Chuck! And your boy Matt, he's a good kid," Then Nick paused and reached into a pack he had with him and said to my dad, "Oh before I go, I have a gift you may like!" With that he handed my father a bundle of rope, which had Christmas Reindeer decorations on it.

"Thank s Nick! What's the rope for?"

"Oh, for tying things...Maybe Christmas presents to roofs of the car, or other things to keep from hitting the living room wall...HAHA, you just never know!"" He chuckled.

And with that he bid my father goodnight and disappeared into his room.

We never saw Nick the next morning. It looked as though he had left early, when the storm broke.

We never saw Nick the next morning. It looked as though he had left early, when the storm broke, and dad wanted to be on the road early, as we had a four hour drive a head of us, and it was December 24th."

We arrived in Sault Ste. Marie around lunch time, and did the pleasantries and Christmas Dinner and Christmas Eve Services at the local Church. Rooms were made up for my brother and I, and our cousins, and other various relatives. And I don't remember much about it. I just remember waking up the next morning, and rushing downstairs to get to the Christmas tree to look at my Stocking. My Dad had been up early, making coffee. I ran over to him to hurry him up so we could see the presents. He and I went into my grandparent's living room, and that's when we both saw it.

It was seven feet long! It was in the corner by the Christmas standing upright. I had Seven Seats on it! It was the most monstrous looking toboggan that I or my father had ever seen. It was made of deep White Oak, and it was varnished to look sleek! We both stared at it in amazement and wonder! To this day, my father swears he has no idea, where it came from. I was actually supposed to be getting a small plastic sled from my parents that year.

Two things occurred to my father. The first was that the toboggan was enormously huge. He had to tie it to the furniture to prevent it from falling and sliding down against the wall in my grandparent's living room. With rope that Nick had given him the night before. The second was that the rope would later need to be used later to tie the toboggan to the roof our Cortina to take it back to Mississauga. The toboggan was longer than the length of Cortina.

One final note - In January 1980, I was using the toboggan at the local Catholic School hill for sledding, and we had about eight or nine kids on the toboggan. During the days following Christmas, my father had tied that same rope onto the toboggan, at the front as a means of steering. As we were cruising down the hill, I could have sworn I saw Nick at the top of hill watching us speed down the hill. And I know he was chuckling at how fast and crazy we were being...But to this day, I think about that toboggan and I look to the skies for a red glowing light on Christmas Eve.