You Better Watch Out

The perfectly symmetrical Christmas tree twinkled in the interior-designed living room. Its vintage glass ornaments reflected the light, giving the festive fir an ethereal glow. Neatly wrapped gifts, adorned with coordinating bows, were nestled under the branches. Tiny lit reindeer, posed on the front lawn, offered a charming welcome to holiday visitors. The scene was idyllic, and one that Daphne took great pride in curating each year.

Every holiday season, the sparkling façade that Daphne created with her own neatly manicured hands, offered a picture-perfect backdrop for her family’s holiday gathering. Despite each subsequent tableau being more beautiful and elaborate than the last, these temporary wonderlands only seemed to accentuate the chaos and dysfunction of her family. Nevertheless, she imagined that with each carefully placed bauble, Daphne could, at least temporarily, cover up the disdain they all seemed to have for each other. But it never worked.

Daphne exhaled sharply as she selected a classic holiday playlist to help foster a cheery ambiance. She opened the front door, the wreath that adorned it flapping as her mother Gloria, breezed haughtily past her. Without noticing the festive display or even greeting her daughter, she poured herself a large glass of wine, complaining bitterly about the traffic and how far out of the way Daphne’s home was. She tutted and swigged, leaving garish red lipstick prints on the crystal glass.

Gloria had all but shut the door in Daphne’s father’s face. Hank half-heartedly hugged his daughter as Daphne welcomed him and her brother Alistair in. Her young niece and nephew darted past to inspect the tree and to excitedly shake the presents. Her heart sank a little as she noticed the two sets of muddy footprints leading from the foyer to the living room.

 Hank and Alistair were already bickering, about what she wasn’t sure, but it was the constant state of their relationship. Alistair and his wife were divorced, and his bitterness about the breakup seeped into everything and everyone he encountered. A crash from the other room was faintly heard above the din of the discord. Daphne sighed as she swept up a broken ornament that the children had knocked off the tree while playing a vicious game of tug-of-war with one of the packages. She took it from the kids, and while attempting to fix the bow, noted that this particular gift wasn’t even for them.  

As Daphne tended to the dinner, her cousin Camille sauntered in with a guy no one had ever met, nor even knew about. Smelling strongly of smoke, her companion briskly shook Daphne’s hand, saying, “I’m Danny! Sweet place you got here.” He whistled, marveling at the décor, the only one seemingly to notice it.

Camille pulled out a cigarette, offering one to Danny, and Daphne quickly reminded them that she didn’t allow smoking indoors. Gloria told Daphne to get off her high horse as Alistair cracked his third beer in 15 minutes. A second crash sent Daphne scurrying, only to find her favorite nutcracker broken in two and the unsupervised kids wailing. In the distance, she could hear Gloria chastising Alistair for his lax parenting and Hank chiming in with his two cents about their son’s apparent shortcomings.

“Who the hell celebrates Christmas without eggnog?” Camille whined as she rifled through the fridge. “Honestly, Daphne,” her face illuminated by the surrounding holiday lights, “I can’t believe you don’t have any!”

Trying desperately to gain control of the situation, Daphne laid out some snacks in the living room and invited everyone to gather. Camille announced she was a vegetarian now and couldn’t eat any of this. Danny tucked in, gleefully remarking that there was more for him. The kids doubled-dipped their chips as Camille grimaced. Hank asked if he could put the game on and Gloria screamed, “It’s Christmas for Christ’s sake!” Alistair ignored his kids, who were now jumping on the couch, causing another glass ornament to hit the floor, its glinting chards poking menacingly from the exotic rug.

Before Daphne could pick up the pieces, the Christmas stockings started swinging wildly from the mantle. Danny noticed it first and exclaimed, “Earthquake!”  Camille and one of the kids shrieked and cowered. Daphne put her hand on the wall, but it was not shaking. This was no earthquake. The fire seemed to abruptly extinguish itself as soot and ash blew into the room.

For perhaps the first time ever, her family was gathered in silence.

A boot dangled from inside the chimney, then a second one. Gloria finished the rest of her wine in one swallow, the loud gulp punctuating the quiet. The kids stared, wide-eyed, mouths open as the red-suited gentleman dropped down, carefully ducking as he exited the fireplace and stepped into the room. “Coooool” said Danny. “Santa??” asked one of the children. Alistair spun around and looked at Daphne, “Sis, you truly outdid yourself this year, how the hell did you manage this?”

Before Daphne could explain that Santa’s appearance in her living room was not part of her elaborate holiday preparations, she smiled briefly at Alistair, who, if she wasn’t mistaken, almost seemed delighted. And had he just sort of acknowledged her efforts?

Hank offered Santa a drink and Gloria sidled flirtatiously up to the bearded stranger. Danny slapped him on the back, and said, “That was some trick, man!”

But Santa did not speak.

Daphne, still holding a dustpan, found herself speechless as well.

Then Santa stepped forward, motioning the family to approach him. The group wordlessly complied and moved closer. Suddenly, the holiday music started playing at full blast. Startled, everyone turned to see where it was coming from. Booming from the speaker they heard, “He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake!”

They all turned back to face Santa. But no one was there. The fire burned warmly again.  The stunning tree glowed even brighter. The music played softly.

Daphne smiled broadly as she looked around the room at her parents, her brother, the kids, Camille, and Danny. They were all smiling too. They were all good.  For goodness’ sake.