It was Christmas time, and I was going to see Santa! The innocence of my childhood reflected upon the gold streaks in my hair. My sister and I were young and still believed in the big man, Santa that is. Our youth was evident in my bright shining eyes and my sisters ugly braces. I remember my mom exactly the same. She always made such an effort to make Christmas work, and although we have grown older, she still does till this day.
            As I stood there enjoying my candy cane, I couldn’t help but express my excitement. I was about to get in line and I had my list ready to go. This was right around 5th grade and I had Playstation 2 on my mind. As the anticipation mounted, I began to ask myself, “Have I been a good boy this year?” Looking at this picture now, I’m asking myself, “Where in god’s name is that sweater?”
            Thinking back, it’s funny how much we receive as children and how little we give back, especially around Christmas time. I remember spending weeks upon weeks compiling the ultimate list. The Christmas holidays have always been my favorite time of the year. People are full of laughter and joy and you grow closer to your family. Even though we don’t have many relatives that live near us, my family has gone all out on Christmas. Every year we went to Medina Country Club with our neighbors to have lunch and see Santa.

This place was a sight to see, especially during the holidays. Thinking back I always had a great time going there, spending time with my family and meeting all the other kids. There was plenty to keep us entertained: shows, dances, etc, but I had one thing on my mind, and that was to see Santa Clause. It wasn't just the idea of Santa that excited me, but actually seeing him made me happy. Hearing his laugh and seeing his jolly smile was enough to life my spirits. As I stood waiting it seemed as if time did not exist, I was in the moment.
"Smile!" My dad said as we posed for the camera. I posed for the picture but there were about a hundred other things on my mind. Not much has changed since then, but as a kid I was constantly distracted. I was eager to see Santa, ready to eat lunch, tired of standing, anxious for Christmas day, and probably needing to go to the bathroom! The haunting aroma of the lunch buffet drifted about the room and stung my nostrils. "Mom I'm hungry." I complained, and reached for another candy cane. "Don't eat anymore you'll spoil your lunch," she said. She was right too, the lunch is well worth the wait at the country club.
I could hear the screams and shouts of the other kids as the line began to move forward. Their joy echoed throughout the room and added to the sense of christmas spirit. They may not have said it, but even my parents were excited. I could almost see Santa so I reached into my pocket and began reviewing my list. I started feeling nervous as I read down the list, what would Santa think? My nervousness changed to excitement as I rounded the corner and saw his bright shining face.