***
Around the Corner
Christmas was just around the corner. Streets were bustling with activity, with people streaming in and out of shopping centres, with a deadweight of shopping bags tugging their arms down. Christmas shopping was unavoidable, where this season of giving and sharing was one that everyone looked forward to. Exchanging gifts had always been a sweet and heart-warming gesture that never failed to lift one’s spirits up in such a joyous occasion.
But what really lies under such a pretty façade- one of colourful lights, catchy jingles, melodious carols, assorted chocolates and beautifully-wrapped gifts?
It was indeed a strange year. Every year, occupied in his office strewn with colourfully yet sweetly decorated envelopes, with his hands flipping letters open one after another, with his eyes scanning across paragraphs of handwriting (sometimes scrawl), would be good old Santa in his cosy red armchair. It was difficult to even take a deep breath in between letters; it was a race against time, or else at the expense of the happiness of Christmas. After all, Christmas was just around the corner. There was no time to waste.
Now he found it weird.
With his spectacles not deliberately left to slide down the bridge of his nose, Santa could see clearly the different shades of his pale brown carpet, and the resistant coffee stain he once tried so hard to remove. The emptiness of it all was beginning to dawn upon him, as he tried so hard to dismiss all negative thoughts about Christmas that worried him.
Where had all the letters gone?
Christmas was just around the corner; Santa could not afford to be idling around!
Still, comfortably under the frigid roofs of many houses, children were penning down their last-minute Christmas wishes. Now adults had also been swirled into the whirlpool of Christmas fantasy; everyone was writing letters to Santa, hoping to take advantage of Santa’s write-and-you’ll-get-it policy. Following which, they would take a stroll to the end of Candy Street, and just around the corner, would be Santa’s very own post box. The norm would be to simply slot your Christmas letter into the gold-lined slit, where your letter will then swirl through several metres underground, right into Santa’s office.
But this was not how it seemed to be now. Letters were strewn and forming messy stacks around the post box, yet people were still inconsiderately just trying to thrust their letters into a considerably stubborn opening, just to get their wishes across to Santa.
Santa’s elf had secretly witnessed all these from around the corner, and felt disappointed but also a wave of relief surging through him on his solving of the “mystery of the lost letters”. Santa and his elves had succumbed to their overwhelming anxiety about the letters and fell prey to many sleepless nights; the worry inside them was increasingly penetrating as Christmas drew nearer day by day. How were they to deliver the presents when they were not even sure about the Christmas List? Now that the truth had come to light, everyone heaved an immense sigh of relief. Greed was indeed the cause of the problem. So this was what happened-
People’s wishes were getting too materialistic; they were asking for things they did not need. People had many wishes each, but there were only few who really held on to the true spirit of Christmas- love. So, to teach them all a silent lesson, Santa’s post box automatically shut its opening when it realized what monetary desires the people harboured. Seeing the mayhem of letters, the people continued to contribute to the untidiness of it all. Did they still not understand the true spirit of Christmas?
The fact that Christmas was around the corner meant to instil in everyone a greater sense of appreciation for one another, to seek tranquillity and joy amidst the fun and laughter, and lastly to prepare everyone for the day of giving and sharing. Above all, love was one of the key flavours to Christmas sweetness. Yet, people made unethical use of Christmas being around the corner, of Santa’s post box just being round the corner, to satisfy their materialistic desires, to want for themselves only. How could Santa allow them to fall deeper into the trap of humanistic avarice?
On the eve of Christmas, those who had attempted forcing envelopes into Santa’s post box seemed to have gotten a reply from Santa. One by one, the letter boxes were opened, and to the people’s utmost horror, they found their own letters to Santa back in their hands. However, in each and every envelope, was also Santa’s message:
‘Hohoho! Merry Christmas to one and all! Please do not be appalled upon receiving this. I am truly sorry to be the most unexpected wet blanket, but I think it is time all of you should close your eyes, cleanse your minds of worldly desires, then look around and see only what is essential. I apologize for the absence of presents addressed by me, kids (and adults).
Go, go, immerse yourselves in the true Christmas warmth, and believe me, you’ll find happiness that no present can offer!
With much love (yet regret),
Santa’
Sometimes, Santa could be such a killjoy, but his letter seemed to have sprinkled some magical dust on the people’s minds. ‘Home’ was the only destination in the minds of those who were enlightened.
On Christmas day, under the frigid roofs, the houses glowed with the warmth of love, with every appreciative hug between two who cherished each other. Around the corner, a clacking sound could be heard coming from Santa’s post box too.
Santa was never wrong; the true spirit of Christmas was indeed just around the corner.
But what really lies under such a pretty façade- one of colourful lights, catchy jingles, melodious carols, assorted chocolates and beautifully-wrapped gifts?
It was indeed a strange year. Every year, occupied in his office strewn with colourfully yet sweetly decorated envelopes, with his hands flipping letters open one after another, with his eyes scanning across paragraphs of handwriting (sometimes scrawl), would be good old Santa in his cosy red armchair. It was difficult to even take a deep breath in between letters; it was a race against time, or else at the expense of the happiness of Christmas. After all, Christmas was just around the corner. There was no time to waste.
Now he found it weird.
With his spectacles not deliberately left to slide down the bridge of his nose, Santa could see clearly the different shades of his pale brown carpet, and the resistant coffee stain he once tried so hard to remove. The emptiness of it all was beginning to dawn upon him, as he tried so hard to dismiss all negative thoughts about Christmas that worried him.
Where had all the letters gone?
Christmas was just around the corner; Santa could not afford to be idling around!
Still, comfortably under the frigid roofs of many houses, children were penning down their last-minute Christmas wishes. Now adults had also been swirled into the whirlpool of Christmas fantasy; everyone was writing letters to Santa, hoping to take advantage of Santa’s write-and-you’ll-get-it policy. Following which, they would take a stroll to the end of Candy Street, and just around the corner, would be Santa’s very own post box. The norm would be to simply slot your Christmas letter into the gold-lined slit, where your letter will then swirl through several metres underground, right into Santa’s office.
But this was not how it seemed to be now. Letters were strewn and forming messy stacks around the post box, yet people were still inconsiderately just trying to thrust their letters into a considerably stubborn opening, just to get their wishes across to Santa.
Santa’s elf had secretly witnessed all these from around the corner, and felt disappointed but also a wave of relief surging through him on his solving of the “mystery of the lost letters”. Santa and his elves had succumbed to their overwhelming anxiety about the letters and fell prey to many sleepless nights; the worry inside them was increasingly penetrating as Christmas drew nearer day by day. How were they to deliver the presents when they were not even sure about the Christmas List? Now that the truth had come to light, everyone heaved an immense sigh of relief. Greed was indeed the cause of the problem. So this was what happened-
People’s wishes were getting too materialistic; they were asking for things they did not need. People had many wishes each, but there were only few who really held on to the true spirit of Christmas- love. So, to teach them all a silent lesson, Santa’s post box automatically shut its opening when it realized what monetary desires the people harboured. Seeing the mayhem of letters, the people continued to contribute to the untidiness of it all. Did they still not understand the true spirit of Christmas?
The fact that Christmas was around the corner meant to instil in everyone a greater sense of appreciation for one another, to seek tranquillity and joy amidst the fun and laughter, and lastly to prepare everyone for the day of giving and sharing. Above all, love was one of the key flavours to Christmas sweetness. Yet, people made unethical use of Christmas being around the corner, of Santa’s post box just being round the corner, to satisfy their materialistic desires, to want for themselves only. How could Santa allow them to fall deeper into the trap of humanistic avarice?
On the eve of Christmas, those who had attempted forcing envelopes into Santa’s post box seemed to have gotten a reply from Santa. One by one, the letter boxes were opened, and to the people’s utmost horror, they found their own letters to Santa back in their hands. However, in each and every envelope, was also Santa’s message:
‘Hohoho! Merry Christmas to one and all! Please do not be appalled upon receiving this. I am truly sorry to be the most unexpected wet blanket, but I think it is time all of you should close your eyes, cleanse your minds of worldly desires, then look around and see only what is essential. I apologize for the absence of presents addressed by me, kids (and adults).
Go, go, immerse yourselves in the true Christmas warmth, and believe me, you’ll find happiness that no present can offer!
With much love (yet regret),
Santa’
Sometimes, Santa could be such a killjoy, but his letter seemed to have sprinkled some magical dust on the people’s minds. ‘Home’ was the only destination in the minds of those who were enlightened.
On Christmas day, under the frigid roofs, the houses glowed with the warmth of love, with every appreciative hug between two who cherished each other. Around the corner, a clacking sound could be heard coming from Santa’s post box too.
Santa was never wrong; the true spirit of Christmas was indeed just around the corner.
***
omg haha the ending is super slipshod and CHEESY..i can't stand the part about Santa's letter! i think it's so naive and idealistic to expect people to suddenly be enlightened by a few words from Santa haha..but oh well..that was how naive i was back in Sec 4!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! :D
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! :D
No comments:
Post a Comment