Finding the Kid on Christmas

Funny what memories you're reminded of when you're a parent reliving some of the very same memories with your own child. And so it was that Santa PinF and his little elf Sophie headed off in search of a Christmas tree two days before the big day. To remain true to the spirit and cognizant of moment are tough challenges these days with Sophia not in my everyday life. Still as chagringed as I may be towards the hipocracy and commercialism of Christmas I am totally able to place myself in the mindset of an 8 year-old, and press on in pursuit of delivering the moments, memories, and wonder of her Christmas.

I was speaking to my mother the other day and she commented how she remembers how myself and brothers would often go in search of a tree on Christmas eve when the bargaining power was in our favor. Inevitable we would always come home with the "best tree" ever, and at a fraction of the cost; right then I was back in that moment when the holiday held so much power and meaning. So as Sophia and I pulled up the North Pole tree sales on Route 1 in Juno Beach, the game was on. My rap was ready, my audience of one counting on me to "make it happen". To be honest, there weren't but maybe 25 trees left, but of those left, a quick pull of the needles revealed their freshness factor was acceptable.

The young guy came over to us as Sophia was excitedly picking this one and that one while I kept trying to sway her into the Charlie Brown special---she wasn't having it. The fella was about 25, and when he spoke he spoke a familiar and heavily accented English, in what I thought was of Russian origin. He started the negotiations, though I knew the date was in my favor. I had bought from this stand before usually in the first week of December, and the prices were always in the range of $50-$100. I asked how much Sophia's pick was? He responded in accented English $45.00, ouch. I changed tactics trying to connect on a different level than that of consumer asking him where he was from. "Bulgaria" he responded proudly, the irony not lost on me that in the land of so many latin cultures I was now dealing with an eastern European two days before Christmas.

I asked whether he was from the capitol Sofia. "Yes, you know Bulgaria"? I told him I had friends who owned a pizza parlor not but 1/2 mile south of his stand who are all Bulgarians, called Pizza Bella. His eyes widened and he asked me where this was, and as he did, I felt the price of the tree drop by 50% on the spot. I gave him directions and told him to tell them Tim sent him, he told me he was from Lake Placid New York, and that in the month he had been in Florida had met no one from Bulgaria, I told him to get ready, as the whole shop was "little Sofia". He asked me again what tree did I want? I acquiesced to my elf, Sophia had by now picked a 7 foot douglas fir, he yelled to the cashier, "Mike", pointed to Sophie and me, and said "twenty dollars"---SOLD. Sophia had just been given her lesson in people skills and connections. We got in the car and she said "papi, you talk to anyone". I knew what she meant, because I had grown up with a father exactly like I was in her eyes.

As we drove away eager to set up our tree, I thought of my dad, and remembered going with him to either Oak ave, or Guadios on Baltimore Pike as a kid and getting a tree with him and my brothers. His lines kept playing in my head, "Christmas is for kids", as I drifted in my thoughts I thought how trues it was, and how as a kid you can't understand NOT being excited about Christmas. But I thought also how the day-to-day cares, concerns, bills, and life get in the way. In that moment I found the kid in me again, and Sophia and I set about getting our shop on...picking up gifts for her Mami and her kitten. I was now feeling what she was, and what she wanted me to feel, and not a minute too soon as Christmas Eve was almost upon us.

Turns out it was a sweet tree, made even sweeter by the deal, and the personal connection of sending that wayward Bulgarian into a store full of countrymen. Christmas Eve arrived, and with it Sophia's Christmas Eve nativity mass where she was appearing in her reprised role of angel again. So it was as we headed off to St. Paul's last night, her little cousin from Venezuela, her mami and her papi. The mass was inspiring and exciting. The spirit has a way of filling even the most empty heart when you watch 50 children dressed as shepherds, sheep, angels and wise men all to the accompaniment of Christmas carols. Add the fact that your everyday angel is among them, and it's a powerfully emotional event, one that makes life worth living even more. These are the moments that will remain after the toys are gone, and child is herself an adult.

Afterwards, before Sophia was to leave for Boca for Christmas eve with her Venezuelan side of the family I took her and her cousin to a neighborhood that was like one my parents would take me to in Lansdowne many years ago. Over the top is the only way to describe it. The whole neighborhood aglow in lights, music floats, and excitement. Just then when I thought it couldn't get anymore excited "he" appeared, flying above a rooftop. Santa himself!! And as I played the role of father, I too was the child excitedly screeching and squealing in that backseat as we drove down the illuminated streets of Christmas wonder. It's kind of neat to be able to recognize life-long memory making moments-- something I was completely aware of in this moment.

Soon after the girls were off to their families, and I was again on my own for the night. But I knew the lessons of that mass, and the gaudy display of lights was going with each of them. And like my father would tell me, Chistmas is for kids--and even though he never said it-- I know now, it's for the kid in all of us.