My Story: They Almost Caught Santa Claus

We lived on Elm Street in Norwalk, Connecticut and it was a huge house converted to hold five apartments. My parents rented one of two first floor apartments and my paternal grandmother, Eva Hector, rented the other. At one time other family members lived in the upstairs apartments but at this time they were all empty. I believe I was around five years old, my brother is 9 years older, and my sister is three years younger than me.

Christmas Eve was the time to decorated the tree. I believe my parents planned it that way hoping it would tire us out and we would go to sleep that night.  One Christmas Eve my brother, Michael, and my father, John Hector, ran into the living room telling us they had a plan to capture Santa Clause. I remember them being so excited about it. I hated the idea because if they captured Santa I wouldn't get any gifts. 

Time goes on and we are almost finished decorating the tree when we hear chains rattling and dragging on the roof.  We hear my father and brother talking but its muffled and we couldn't hear what they were saying.  All of a sudden there is loud stomping on the roof, running in the room above us, my brother running down the hallway stairs coming in asking for a hammer and nails then running back up. They were adding spring loaded traps so if Santa stepped on one his leg would get caught. Yes, my father did have two of them!

What I remember next is going to bed very upset and my mother telling me they won't catch him and not to worry about it.  Think about it, you're five and you can't wait for Santa to come and now your brother is going to ruin it all. 

Up early on Christmas morning, we run for Michael, Grandma Hector is coming through the door, and we sit together to open our stockings. We always opened our stockings with Michael and Grandma Hector so my parents can slowing wake up, make coffee and have their first cigarette.  My parents come in to open their stockings and Michael starts handing out presents then stops, runs out of the apartment, runs up the hallway stairs and you can hear him on the roof. Within minutes he's running down the stairs yelling that he didn't catch Santa BUT he did have a piece of Santa's red suit. It was a red piece of velvet with a little bit of white fluff on it and we all took turns holding it. I was so excited that I was holding a piece of Santa's suit.

The following Christmas I made my brother put the piece of Santa's suit back on the roof with a letter telling Santa we're sorry.  Do you know what happened?? Magically the piece of Santa's suit is gone and on the back of that letter is a note from Santa telling us he thought he ripped it on his sleigh and thanking us for our honesty and to have a merry Christmas.

That house on Elm Street was always a magical place.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Until my next story,
Karen