At the age of 7 my parents broke the news to me; Santa Claus did not exist. I also need to explain that in Albania, Santa brings presents for Christmas and New Year. I was not really devastated, because I still got the presents, but as I kept on growing each year, the magic of Christmas and New Year seemed to be fading away. Usually, as soon as December arrived everyone would be in the Christmas and New Year mood, but when Christmas and the New Year came it just felt like an ordinary day, spent with the family.

I remember when I was young, I would always write letters to Santa at the beginning of December, and I would leave it next to the chimney. Usually, the letter would contain the annual wish for a puppy, that I never got, then would be the toys such as: Barbies, stuffed animals, which were my favorite, and anything really. I remember always waiting until midnight of the 24th to open the presents, for I was very curious to know what I got, and when I did open them I would be really excited because “Santa” would constantly get me amazing gifts.
After Christmas, there would be the excitement of the New Year; my mom and my sisters would prepare a wonderful dinner, and we would all sit at the table, watch a New Year program on TV, and talk. Then as the the host of the New Year’s show would start the countdown, my dad would take out the champagne bottle, and I would open it. As a family we would go outside and watch the fireworks out in the freezing cold balcony. After the firework show would be finished, we went back inside and would open our presents again from “Santa”. Finally, to end the New Year event, we would take a family picture and then my sisters would go out with their friends, and I would go to bed.

As the years passed, some of these small things started to change. The presents weren’t big surprises anymore, because Santa didn’t exist now and I couldn’t write letters to him anymore, I didn’t have to wait and see if Santa had seen the letter, and if he had gotten me that present, instead I just had to ask my parents for it. Christmas Eve was not always spent together, my parents and I would go out to a restaurant with my cousins, while my sisters would go with their friends. For New Year’s Eve, I also would help set up the table and prepare the food. We would then sit down to eat, watch the New Year’s comedy show,  as midnight came I would open the champagne, and we would go outside to watch the fireworks, but the amount of fireworks was pathetic compared to other years.

Though I do miss writing letters to Santa, watching the firework show and being surprised when I open presents; I realised that it was more important spending this Christmas with all my family, and I think that makes up for the non-existence of an old fat man sending presents to all the nice children of the world with his 9 reindeers pulling the sleigh.