“It’s Santa!”

You turned to see the man in red enter through the doors of the small auditorium, the eruption of cheers of excitement from the children deafening you for a moment. You smiled as they surrounded him and yet remained polite, having been informed that Santa would speak with them all individually to hear what they all wanted for Christmas if there was no pushing and shoving.

It was the first time you had seen them all line up respectfully without any complaints since you started working at the school. It made you smile over at Santa himself, thankful that his job today would be easier with their well behaved waiting.

The idea had been yours. The school had faced some cutbacks and classes had been interrupted from it, leaving the young children confused as much as the adults were. Some were playing up from the tension they felt within the institution’s walls and others were generally worried about what would happen to their little school if the cutbacks continued.

Right before Christmas, no one had needed this. Bringing cheer back into the little faces of the children had been your focus point. Although you were stressed in trying to help support the faculty that remained and placate the concern of parents, you had spent a lot of your time over the past two weeks setting up today. It wasn’t easy running an event for three hundred students with no budget, but you had managed to pull most of it off with donations.

Some local business supported the hire of the hall since the school’s current one was out of service, and others helped with the catering and little goodie bags that you and your husband Daniel had stayed up late last night preparing for everyone. And Santa, well he had heard of your special day and insisted on making an appearance.

You smiled again at him as he caught your eye from across the room as another child sat down on his lap. He looked every part of the jolly man from the North Pole with his red suit with the white trim, the big black boots, a whiter than snow curly beard and his hat finished off the attire. As he sat in the chair you had brought in from the art room from school, you could tell that the magic of Christmas was alive with how attentive Santa was to each student, asking their name and listening to what they wanted to receive for Christmas. At some points, he even jotted their requests down, much to the elation of the children. When one of the little girls mentioned they wanted a kitten for Christmas, you had to bite at your lip to hold back a giggle when Santa grew just as excited and wanted to know exactly what colour they desired.

You had never read about Santa loving cats as much as your husband did, but you guessed a lot of special men in this world could have such a weakness for furry critters like him too.

It made your heart swoon all the same as you watched over the events, sometimes helping some of the children after they met with Santa and then laughing when Santa put on a little dance spectacle for everyone. The children begged him to stay for lunch and he did, pulling a seat up between a few of them and chatted about reindeer and elves much to all the children’s delight.

Santa hadn’t captured just the hearts of the children; you could see it on the faces of the parents and teachers as they gushed over him at the end of the day, thanking him for giving up his day from making toys and checking off his nice list to come to their event instead. Santa had been just as graceful, telling everyone he’d definitely be back next year.

You had gotten really lucky with this Santa.

And as you packed up the remaining goodie bags and decorations, Santa stayed behind to help. You grinned at him as he took one of the boxes from you. “Why thank you, Santa.”

“You’ve worked hard too, Miss.”

“Oh, I’m actually a Mrs,” you corrected with a small playful smile and he chuckled. “Don’t tell my husband, but I think you’re just as handsome as he is.”

“You have a thing for beards?”

“Maybe just for men who genuinely like to make a child’s world more magical,” you replied and Santa nodded.

“Sounds like you secured yourself a good man.”

“The best.”

You finished cleaning up the hall and then noticed only the chair was left, and Santa was slumped in it. He had used so much of his energy up throughout the day, it made sense he needed to rest for a little bit. You went over to your bag and took a deep breath, preparing your gift in return for Santa’s help today. Walking up to the stage where the man was seated, you climbed the stairs and he opened his eyes, gazing at you with such familiar eyes that it made your stomach flutter with anticipation. Santa smiled widely at you and patted at his sturdy thigh.

“What would you like for Christmas this year, Y/N?”

You smiled as you sat down and looked up at the man now holding you affectionately, his hand running up and down your side gently. “I think I’ve gotten a lot already this year. I got married in spring; bought my first home at the end of summer and despite things being a little hard right now, I found a perfect job that I started in the fall.”

“Still, someone as beautiful and kind as you deserves something. Anything at all?”

“Well, I don’t want a cat to raise,” you said thoughtfully and Santa sighed, pouting a little behind his beard. You reached into your cardigan’s pocket and retrieved a small photograph and held it up for Santa to see. His eyes widened. “Because I’m already preparing to raise a child.”

“Wait, what?!” The beard shifted off his face completely and you marvelled at how handsome Santa was without it. You definitely liked your men without major facial hair. Daniel’s eyes took in the scan you held up and then moved to yours. “You’re pregnant?!”

“I found out last week right after you promised to be Santa today. So, I thought it would be a good gift for all your hard effort to wait to tell you until now.”

“You’re really pregnant?!” the man exclaimed and you nodded, feeling your emotions rise.

Daniel had done so much for the children today, seeing his reaction now was worth holding back from telling him when you first found out about your baby miracle. You hadn’t been planning to fall pregnant so soon, but you had both always wanted children together and now that you were with child, well, it just felt right.

Especially since it was Christmas time and you wanted a little cheer in your own life from how stressful it had been lately. You knew you were strong enough to continue to face the school concerns and grow your own child too.

Pulling up the beard again, Santa was back and cleared his throat. “Is there really nothing you want at all for Christmas though?”

“Why, should I be greedy and ask for something more?” you asked him and he sighed, lifting a gloved hand to his puckered up lips. You giggled. “Oh I don’t know, wouldn’t this be cheating on my husband if I kissed you right now, Santa?”

“I won’t tell if you don’t.”