When we reached the back of the store where the butcher shop was, my dad opened the huge walk-in freezer door. In anticipation of what we might see, we all peeked in. There in the freezer were 3 or 4 deer hanging upside down by their hooves. Then my dad exclaimed, "Kids, there won't be any Christmas this year because all of Santa's reindeer are dead." I think my Dad expected us to say "No siiiirrrr, those aren't Santa's reindeer" etc, etc... I do know he did not expect the reaction he got. All four of us instantly began wailing. My oldest brother kept saying that he thought one of them was Rudolph, which of course made us even more hysterical. My Mom rushed up behind us to see why we were all crying. When she discovered what happened, she started speaking angrily to my Dad in french. (My folks are bilingual. And while growing up they always spoke french when angry or when trying to keep a secret from the kids.)
My poor Dad tried to convince us he was only joking, bribing us with ice cream did help a little.:::smile::: Looking back today, I can only imagine how he must have felt when he realized his joke backfired in such a BIG way. I remember leaving the store that day, still wondering if those really were Santa's reindeer. All doubts were gone a few weeks later.
We were awoken on Christmas Eve by my parents saying "Wake up, Santa was here." We rushed down the stairs as fast as our pj'd feet would carry us. The Christmas tree lights were on with carols softly playing in the background. Surrounding the Christmas tree were tons of presents that surely only Santa and his reindeer could have brought in his magic sleigh.
Onward Dasher, Comet & Vixen. May the spirit of Christmas and the innocence of believing in Santa live forever in our childrens hearts....
11 comments:
I bet your Dad felt so bad, naughty him...lol. And after the tongue lashing he got from your Mom, he probably went out and bought extra gifts for you all...heehee. Touching story, I love the ending! :) See you on the top 5 soon :) wink wink.
I laughed, I cried! What a great entry!
OMG I laughed. That sounds like something I would pull. Oh I bet he was in trouble for a day or two...john
That reminds me of the year my grandparents played a joke on my brother and gave him a lump of coal for Christmas. He didn't see the big bag of presents waiting for him and thought it was all he was getting.
LOL.. awww.. this is so sad but so precious! Dad's don't always think when it comes to kids! They have DAD humor - not KID humor! Silly Dads. :)
Oh those dads! I was going to write about my dad and my Christmas story. Glad it had a happy ending for all of you. :)
Monica
Whoopie, ....
Hi there! My dad and I were just reading your entry and commenting about how it sounds like something he would have done to me as a child! He loves jokes/pranks. Still, I can certainly see how that joke could be devastating to children. Thanks for sharing your memories with us!
bridgett--My Life With a Toddler
That is sooo sweet. well, kind of... kind of brutal about the reindeer joke. But, you know..guys. I think my dad said the same thing. Except it was Thanksgiving day and my birthday, and a deer was hanging just as you said in my living room. My mom and dad didn't speak any other language except english, so I know perfectly what my mom was saying. And I totally agreed with everything she said to him. :) I loved your last paragraph..ahhhh. :)
Aww, what memories. I'm sorry you had such a scare, your poor Dad must've been mortified. But all's well that ends well, and now what's left are the good memories of that weepy evening!
I'm still traumatized by that event. I still go out every Christmas Eve and look for Rudolph's nose in the sky just to reassure myself. (Remember those days?) Here's to great childhood memories.
Awwww Dan.... You are reading my journal!! Yes, I remember those days always, especially during the holidays : )
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