A Ladder for Santa Claus

In my early years when Santa Claus paid his annual visit I was full of questions about him. Early on my parents had explained that many homes, like ours, did not have a fireplace and chimney because modern heating with stoves was much more practical. Santa Claus knew this and so gained access to leave our presents through an open window. The day after this explanation I checked our porch roof over the living room window which would be left open for him. I was concerned how he would get from the roof of the porch to reach the open window since he was used to climbing down chimneys. When questioned, my Mother wisely said, “Ask your Father.” My Father looked at me when I asked him, hesitated just a moment, and then said, “Oh, that’s easy. I always lean the ladder against the porch roof so he can climb right down." Sure enough, Christmas Eve I watched as my Father leaned a ladder against the porch roof. The window was left open just a crack and on the table beside the opened widow was a glass of milk, a little plate of cookies and a napkin. And so Christmas morning my mad dash was not to the Christmas Tree to see what Santa Claus had left but rather to see if the milk glass had been emptied and if the cookies were gone. Only then would I scurry to check the tree and my Christmas Stocking. And the ladder went up every Christmas Eve as long as Santa Claus visited me.

I don’t leave a ladder for Santa Claus anymore because he climbs the stairs to reach my 6th floor, walk-up apartment. But I do aid him with other ladders and you can too. I say ‘ladders’ as another word for ‘help.’ That can mean an old, unused winter coat for someone who is homeless, volunteering to work with God’s Love We Deliver, helping out at any number of senior centers or the local ‘Y’ or your church of choice. Why not pick up a 'Letter To Santa Claus' from the Post Office and make some kid happy. You can even help buy anything from a chicken to a goat to a bull for some family in a third-world country through Heifer International (800-422-0755 - www.heifer.org/catalog). There are all kinds of ladders waiting to be put to use by all kinds of folks. So do your part in helping Santa Claus reach everyone in our wonderful world. Have a happy holiday and pray/wish/hope for peace in our time. Oh, yes, and don’t forget the milk and cookies!