A Christmas Story

By Stephen Brezinski

This is a rather sad story so typical of wartime. The time is Christmas Eve of the year 1943. Saint Nicholas, herein and popularly know as Santa Claus, is plying the cities, villages and skies of the earth in a desperate attempt to keep alive the tradition of good will and toys for the children.

Like for the peoples of Asia, Europe and Africa, the war has been hard on Santa Claus. His original sleigh has been fragment-riddled over London and Burma by AA fire in 1940 and 1941, then finally to be abandoned as unrepairable. Santa has replaced his original wood sleigh with an armored Sd.Kfz 251 salvaged in the Ukraine and later modified and personalized by the elves. A 30-cal Browning manned by an elf has been added to help discourage night fighters and sentries, while another elf keeps a watchful eye.

A nightfighter crippled Cupid in 1942; Blitzen was lost in the Blitz, and Dancer done-in over Leningrad! Rudolph, with that nose so bright, became a liability and succumbed to a succotash after being downed over Stalingrad. Santa, dedicated to making his famous Christmas run, has adjusted by switching to his smaller reserve and second line flying reindeer. These reindeer were more petite, and therefore a smaller target, though their pulling power adequate.

Alas, in 1997 Santa succumbed to the final humiliation.