SANTA CLAUS AND TOOTH FAIRIES.

The Christmas tree was being decorated with bells and shiny silver trinkets by Chaitra last year. She was all excited and overfull with happiness. It was after all a Merry Christmas. She adored the cake brought by us. She planned to decorate it with Gems and Nutties of different colours and shapes. She was eagerly awaiting the stocking filled with goodies, so we thought.
As every year, I went to the mall to buy the stockings and started to fill it with the goodies,one by one. The latest Disney movie DVD, an oft listened carol audio CD, a red Santa cap, soft toys and chocolates usually filled up the stocking. A cartoon t shirt would squeeze in too. I would secure the stocking with a ribbon and keep it in the boot of my car.
In the night time, I would slowly tip toe out of my bed and rush to my car. I used to tie the stockings to my balcony grill and early morning Chaitra would wake up and rush to the balcony to grab hold of the goodies. Her sleepy eyes used to open wide with amazement and she would proudly show us all the goodies. "Mummy! Papa! " I have been a good girl this year, hence Santa has blessed us with the goodies.
I was the usual story teller and used to tell her about sighting the Santa with Rudolph the red nosed rein deer, galloping and flying the sled up in the skies. He could not meet us as he was in a hurry as he had to deliver goodies to all the good children in this world. Chaitra generally used to be content with this version of mine. Her friends used to come in the evening and dance to Christmas carols in the fun filled merry evening.
Last year, she unenthusiastically woke up from her slumber and slowly went to the balcony grill to retrieve the stockings which we had filled so lovingly on the eve. She opened up all the gifts and we were shocked to see the lack of happiness on her face.
Something was wrong this year. We were indeed worried.
We asked her the reason for sad non reactive demeanour. She just shrugged her shoulders and slept off again.
Later in the evening, She told us, " Santa is a myth and does not exist" !! Why you fooled me all these years?
She further justified her reasoning by showing the mall labels and price tags on the goodies.
Realisation dawned on us.
Our daughter had grown up. We could not fool her any longer.
Our spinning fairy tales' session with her listening with attentive ears and amazed eyes would end soon.
We had a relatively quiet dinner that day.
She lost her last milk tooth the next day,
We did not dare to keep it under the pillow in the night as we used to do in the past.
We missed our 'Tooth Fairy' world.
This Christmas, You won't see the goodie filled stocking, hanging at my home.
Next Year, I went with Chaitra to the mall to fill up the stockings with the goodies. My 2 year old son, Prithvy would wake up next morning.
Our fairy tale world had begun again.