christmas anywhere?

[Duke of Delrio]

Christmas sees me at the home ranch every year. There is no telling how many of the family will show up, as the homing urge strikes everyone at different times. Years ago, a young nephew who had heard from some of the "older guys" that Santa wasn't real, asked me in great confidence if that were true. I told him that I was personally acquainted with the man and had been for years. I explained how tired the reindeer would be after their world-wide flight, and that Santa would stop here. We would put fresh hay out for them in the bull feeders, and then Santa and I would drink hot chocolate and play pinochle while the reindeer ate and rested.

Early in dawn's light of Christmas morning my nephew was running to the house, shouting, "It's true . . . .it's true", at the top of his lungs. There at the feeders were a number of large, antlered mule deer, which in the fog and dim light, looked very much like eight reindeer . . . to a six year old. I will never forget the sheer exuberant joy I heard in his voice that morning. For me, Christmas anywhere else just would not have that ring to it.