"And what do you want for Christmas?" Santa Claus asked the young girl sat on his lap.
"Can I have a pony?" she asked excitedly.
"Now come on Janie," the girl's mother scolded. "Santa can't make ponies and he can't bring you something that he can't make."
Janie visibly pouted but relented.
"I'd like a Barbie musical fantasy castle and the Barbie town house and the Barbie pool party boat and a Barbie scooter and a Barbie laptop and a Disney scrabble set.." the list went on.
Janie left with her mother, leaving Jack wondering why people leave visits to Santa until Christmas Eve. After all, how could he be expected to make all of that in time for the morning?
One thing Jack had begun to notice in the two weeks he'd been playing Santa at the mall was that parents left with one of two expressions, either the "oh thank goodness because that's already wrapped up under my bed" look or the "where am I going to find one of those before we go home" look.
Some of the kids had been asking for things that Jack had never heard of, most of them sounding like they cost a good weeks pay.
By far his favorite visitors were the pre school kids, mini people with huge and innocent eyes practically in awe of the fact that they were meeting the infamous Santa Claus.
A part of Jack was glad that he wasn't one of the parents, in Charlie's day Tonka toys had been the in thing and nothing more confusing than action man was on offer. Of course that left the part of him being torn apart inside that he wasn't going to get a visit from Santa for the eighth year since Charlie's death.
Noticing a distinct lack of anything happening inside his grotto Jack poked his head out of the door. The queue was gone and he was about ready to pack up for the day when some commotion at the entrance caught his attention.
"I wanna go see Santa mommy, please!" A little boy cried.
"I'm sorry honey but mommy doesn't have any money with her." She tried to drag the child away. "We have to go get groceries or you'll have no dinner tonight."
"But it's Christmas Eve," he sobbed. "If I don't see him now then he won't be able to come."
"I'm sorry," the harried woman repeated. "Now come on, Santa only visits good little boys."
"Hey." Jack couldn't remember the name of the elf on the gate. "Hey Sneezy," he tried. "Let him in, last one of the day or I'll end up home early and we can't have that can we?"
The elf directed the boy and his mother into the grotto, him excitedly and his mother rather reluctantly.
Leaning close to Jack on her way out the elf whispered, "Sneezy was a dwarf Jack, I'm an elf."
"You mean there's a difference?" Jack teased.
"Elves have better legs," she grinned and exited.
"Ok Damien, just a quick visit," the mother conceded, although it was rather too late for her to change her mind as he was already sat on Jack's knee.
"So Damien," Jack asked. "What do you want for Christmas?"
"How did you know my name?" Damien asked in amazement, apparently unaware that his mother had just called him by it.
"Santa Claus knows everyone's names," Jack explained. "I have to you know."
"What's my mom's name?" Damien asked suspiciously.
Jack hesitated, looking up at her for help.
She mouthed the answer slowly earning a grateful smile from Santa's eyes.
"Laura," he told Damien.
The boy's mouth almost fell open in wonder.
"So what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?"
Laura's face fell in a way that almost made him think they were Jewish or something. The sight of clothes and toys in flimsy charity bags in her hands however suggested another explanation.
"My friends at school all have X box and play Tony Hawk 4, that's not the best one but it's really good and I really wish I had one."
Jack looked up and Laura's miserable face again and tried to think of an answer. There weren't many parents that left with the "I'll never be able to afford that" look on their faces.
"Well you see Damien," he started.
"That's ok," Damien sighed, obviously recognizing Jack's tone of voice as one he'd heard before. "I know that you can't make an X box," he reasoned. "I mean if you could then you'd be playing it wouldn't you, you wouldn't be here."
"You're probably right," Jack agreed sadly.
Laura had refused to look at Jack during the whole conversation, hovering by the door ready for a quick escape.
"Santa?" Damien asked, leaning to close to Jack and talking in a whisper. "If you bring something for my mommy for Christmas then I don't mind if you don't bring me anything."
Tears touched Jack's eyes and the utterly selfless act of the young boy.
"What did you have in mind?" he asked softly.
"Well she likes to watch OC on television, but she's always at work when it is on.she works a lot you know," Damien explained. "And she used to tape it but our vcr is broken and we can't afford to get a new one.it makes mommy sad to miss her show."
Jack's heart ached for them both, there were obviously things the family needed more than a vcr but he could imagine Laura's relief to be able to collapse in front of her favorite show at the end of a long and hard day.
"I'll see what I can do," Jack whispered, guilt already eating away at him.
Damien jumped down and went to his mother at the door.
"Oh mommy," he remembered as they were about to leave. "The letter."
Laura fished a letter out of her bag and handed it to the boy who then proudly passed it on to Jack and left the grotto.
Curiosity got the better of him and Jack opened the letter that was addressed to his mythical alter ego.
"Dear Santa, I know that we won't see you after Christmas so I wanted to say thank you now. I really hope you can get the gift for my mommy, I don't like to see her sad. I hope you have a nice Christmas and enjoy the mince pies. Yours Sincerely, Damien Curtis."
The letter was written out in a surprisingly formal style for such young handwriting and it didn't escape Jack's attention that the return address was written in the top corner as was traditional.
"Ho ho ho," A voice at the door of the grotto broke his revere.
"Carter?" Jack looked up, unable to avoid laughing when Sam waltzed in wearing an elf costume.
"I knocked out your elf and stole her clothes," Sam grinned. "What do you think?" She twirled on the spot.
"Stunning," Jack laughed.
"So I take it you're coming to this costume party as Santa Claus," Sam concluded. "Nice, if a little unoriginal."
"It was the best I could do," Jack shrugged. "But first I have to make a few stops if that's ok."
"Sure," Sam shrugged. "I've got all night."
Jack deposited his new acquisitions in the trunk of his truck, all of them graciously gift wrapped by the staff in the electronics store, all of them delighted to see Santa and his elf shopping late on Christmas Eve.
"Ready to explain yet?" Sam pushed as they started driving. "Cause you got Teal'c an X box last year."
"I'm Santa remember," Jack reminded her. "I have to buy presents for everyone."
"Well then I hate to break it you, but you don't have enough." Sam pulled Jack's red jacket on to warm herself up, the elf costume being a little short on material.
Digging her hands into the pockets she came into contact with rustling paper and couldn't help but look at what it was.
"Damien Curtis." she looked at Jack suspiciously. "The Tony Hawk underground fan?"
"I felt bad for them," Jack shrugged, wishing he'd been able to keep it to himself. "How's it fair that some kids get ponies for Christmas and some are lucky to even get dinner?"
"It's not fair," Sam agreed. "But you're not really Santa and there are a lot of kids who will be waking up without ponies this year."
"Is it wrong for me to want to make that number one less?" Jack asked, feeling the need for her approval without being sure why.
"No," Sam shook her head. "Just so long as you don't mind helping just the one."
"He was such a great kid Sam," Jack said with feeling. "Wanted to trade all his presents in so that his mom could have a vcr to tape her TV show while she's at work."
"What you're doing for him is a lovely thing," Sam assured him. "But they're going to be broke everyday of the year, a vcr at Christmas won't change that."
"Christmas is a depressing time of year isn't it?" Jack changed the tangent. "When you have no money or when you have to spend it alone."
"Yes it is," Sam nodded.
"So Damien and his mom will have one happy day this year, there'll be one child on this Earth that absolutely believes in Santa Claus," Jack decided. "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing." Sam laid a hand on his arm. "We could all do with a Santa Claus like you. And I think there'll be one Mother on Earth who believes in Santa too."
Christmas morning dawned crisp, clear and cold and Damien Curtis was awake before long before his Mother wanted to be.
Waiting for them under the Christmas tree, mixed in with small parcels wrapped in almost transparent recycled paper were two large boxes and one small wrapped in strong and shiny red and gold paper.
Much to Laura's confusion Damien got his X box and the best Tony Hawk game to date and she had received a new silver video recorder. There was nothing to indicate how they had come to be under the scarcely decorated Christmas tree in the run down flat that sat in the most undesirable part of town other than the matching tag attached to the paper the vcr had been wrapped in.
"From your friendly local mall Santa Claus," it read and added underneath in very different handwriting, "and his lock picking elf."
It wasn't that Laura didn't mind two total strangers breaking into her house but she had never seen Damien looking quite so happy as he did that Christmas morning. And after all, break ins weren't exactly uncommon in their neighborhood and most people were left with less rather than more as a result.
She wished there was a way to thank them but decided that they had a reason for staying anonymous. Maybe Santa really did exist, and she couldn't blame him for wanting to use the door, the chimney wasn't a place that she'd want to spend Christmas either.
Jack O'Neill had always been one to wake early at Christmas, even though these days it was just like every other day of the year.
Trudging downstairs for coffee he noticed that a large box wrapped in purple and silver paper had appeared beside his tree.
Never one to be patient Jack detoured from the route to the kitchen and looked at the tag.
"From your friendly lock picking elf," it read.
Jack had to laugh, it wasn't every Christmas that he got a visit from anyone who knew Santa Claus.
The box and its lid had simply been wrapped up and then the lid put on top, not keeping him out for long.
Looking inside he almost died of laugher, finding Sam sat cross-legged, looking up at him, still dressed as an elf.
"Merry Christmas," she smiled as he helped her climb out.
"What the hell is this?" Jack chuckled, shaking his head.
"Christmas is a depressing time when you have to spend it alone," she offered, suddenly looking quite nervous, obviously wondering if she'd gone too far.
"Yes it is," Jack smiled. "I'll make the coffee while you get dressed. As good as you look in that outfit." he trailed off unsure of what reason there was for her to get dressed.
"You make the coffee while I get dressed," Sam agreed. "I think Santa might have left some other things in my car."
Jack's face lit up and if Sam hadn't shoved him into the kitchen then he probably would have gone outside in just his t-shirt and boxer shorts to get them.
"Do elves give out Christmas kisses?" Jack called down the hall with a grin.
Sam glanced back at him, raising her eyebrows and smiling slightly before disappearing into the spare room for her clothes.
The End
Story Notes: Content warning- breaking and entering
Author's note- Just finished wrapping presents for my sibling's stockings and this came to mind, had to write it quick before I changed my mind. It's meant to make you smile, hopefully it will.
Dedication- For everyone who can think of any reason why Christmas is a miserable time of year, have a happy holiday.
Thanks to Kelda and Adele for the zippy betas.
Author's note- Just finished wrapping presents for my sibling's stockings and this came to mind, had to write it quick before I changed my mind. It's meant to make you smile, hopefully it will.
Dedication- For everyone who can think of any reason why Christmas is a miserable time of year, have a happy holiday.
Thanks to Kelda and Adele for the zippy betas.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]