I stole this story from my friend Vivvi's blog... because it's funny and double blog worthy.We had a Visitor
All little boys and girls in Hungary put their boots near the door for Saint Nicholas (Szent Mikulas) on the 6th of December. If they have been good children, Saint Nicholas leaves them little gifts, oranges, and candies in their boots but if they have been bad the Krampusz, a demon, leaves them a stick. Saint Nicholas comes early in December and baby Jesus delivers gifts on Christmas, unlike secular America where Santa Claus crams his fat ass down our chimneys on Christmas! Hungarians have the right idea.
This last Friday night, as all the children in Hungary arrange their shoes for Saint Nicholas, I was on a train to Tata, a town on the Hungarian-Slovakian border, to visit my friend Carla. When I had arrived at her house, I took off my shoes in the hallway.
I woke up Saturday morning to Carla banging around in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"Good morning Carla!" I shouted a bit groggy, "Can I use your computer?"
"Jo reggelt! Igen," Carla shouted back. She is really trying to embrace everything Hungarian though she is from Minnesota.
I sat at the computer and wiped the sleep from my eyes, I could focus just enough to find iTunes. I picked Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas" album. I like that one. Then I began to check my email, like I do every morning when I wake-up.
"Hey Vi?" she shouted a few minutes later.
"Yeah!"
"What shoes did you wear yesterday?'
"I don't know. Nikes, I think," I said a bit confused.
"Well, where are they? I don't see them in the hall," she said a bit flustered.
I was busy reading emails and rocking out to Amy Grant, so her concern about my shoes didn't really bother me.
"Do you see them?" she asked again.
"I'm not looking. They have to be there," I said, not quite connecting the dots, "Where would they have done?"
There was a long pause... then...
"Dammit Vivvi, look at your shoes!" Carla shouted with force.
I got up and headed into the hallway. There I found Carla smiling from ear-to-ear and our shoes PACKED with Saint Nicholas treats.
"We had a visitor!" Carla said almost unable to control her laughter, "Merry Christmas!!!"
I looked between Carla and our shoes half a dozen times, laughing. I finally got to experience the joy of Saint Nicholas on the 6th of December. It was a great surprise, though she nearly had to throw my shoes at me to get me to look at them. I think this is a tradition I will carry on forever. It's way too fun! Thanks Carla... I mean St. Nicholas!
This last Friday night, as all the children in Hungary arrange their shoes for Saint Nicholas, I was on a train to Tata, a town on the Hungarian-Slovakian border, to visit my friend Carla. When I had arrived at her house, I took off my shoes in the hallway.
I woke up Saturday morning to Carla banging around in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"Good morning Carla!" I shouted a bit groggy, "Can I use your computer?"
"Jo reggelt! Igen," Carla shouted back. She is really trying to embrace everything Hungarian though she is from Minnesota.
I sat at the computer and wiped the sleep from my eyes, I could focus just enough to find iTunes. I picked Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas" album. I like that one. Then I began to check my email, like I do every morning when I wake-up.
"Hey Vi?" she shouted a few minutes later.
"Yeah!"
"What shoes did you wear yesterday?'
"I don't know. Nikes, I think," I said a bit confused.
"Well, where are they? I don't see them in the hall," she said a bit flustered.
I was busy reading emails and rocking out to Amy Grant, so her concern about my shoes didn't really bother me.
"Do you see them?" she asked again.
"I'm not looking. They have to be there," I said, not quite connecting the dots, "Where would they have done?"
There was a long pause... then...
"Dammit Vivvi, look at your shoes!" Carla shouted with force.
I got up and headed into the hallway. There I found Carla smiling from ear-to-ear and our shoes PACKED with Saint Nicholas treats.
"We had a visitor!" Carla said almost unable to control her laughter, "Merry Christmas!!!"
I looked between Carla and our shoes half a dozen times, laughing. I finally got to experience the joy of Saint Nicholas on the 6th of December. It was a great surprise, though she nearly had to throw my shoes at me to get me to look at them. I think this is a tradition I will carry on forever. It's way too fun! Thanks Carla... I mean St. Nicholas!
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1 comment:
St. Nick is Very Generous! Vivvi must have been a very good girl;)
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