My family has a Christmas tradition which started with my paternal grandmother. At Christmas she would make a little goodie bag for each member of her family and put small treats in it. Hers included things such as a few pieces of fruit, some nuts and candies. My family has continued the tradition, but the goodie bags have grown. Now when we get together, my mom, sister, and I, each buy candy and small gifts for them, and on Christmas Eve we sneak away to stuff the goodie bags.
A few Christmases ago we all met in Galveston at a rented beach house that was large enough for all eleven of us. In keeping with our tradition, my mom, sis, and I had all brought surprises for the goodie bags everyone looked forward to. After all the gifts were opened on Christmas morning, we distributed the bags for the additional fun and laughter as everyone examined theirs, holding up their surprises, and popping candies into their mouths. Then as the Christmas mess was cleaned up, everyone was careful to put their goodie bag somewhere safe.
One day after Christmas, nine of us decided to go to town for an afternoon of shopping on the Strand, but my parents decided to stay at the house to rest. When we returned from our outing, my brother-in-law, Nick, reached for his goodie bag to get a snack. He had something specific in mind – a chocolate Santa Claus. He rummaged through it and was alarmed to find that the Santa Claus was missing! Did I mention that he’s a lawyer? He began interrogating all of the family members, starting with our sons who were at the top of his suspect list. Nick was unexpectedly upset about his missing chocolate St. Nick and spent the remainder of the day trying to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Late in the evening my sister and I were chatting with our mother when she suddenly confessed that she had taken Nick’s Santa. She had gotten hungry while we were all out shopping and didn’t think Nick would miss it. Of course, she felt terrible!
Ho! Ho! Ho! How funny that was, to every one except Nick, that his mother-in-law had stolen the chocolate Santa Claus out of his goodie bag. It’s a Christmas our family will be laughing about for years to come!
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Comments
How funny! “Nick” missing his “St. Nick.” Maybe you could start a new tradition where someone’s candy goes missing each year and they have to hunt around the house to find it.
Author
LOL! That’s a great idea!!
I do feel sorry for Ol’ Nick, but what a fun story and memory you now have to share! I’m sure your mother was the least likely suspect in the household. I, too, was thinking like Kathi mentioned above – wouldn’t it be fun to start a “Where’s Santa?” tradition, like the old-fashioned game “Button, Button, Who’s Got The Button?” We are never to old to play, are we?
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Author
If he had written down his suspect list, I would guess that my mom would be very last. That’s part of what makes it so funny! That’s a fun idea! We may have to do something like that.
What a fun tradition, and funny story! I could see my mom doing this to one of her sons-in-law 🙂
Good memory of this Christmas mystery Michelle. I think I would have impressed more the look on Nick’s face and his shocked reaction when his MIL revealed she’d done it! 🤣
Author
Well, I needed your help remembering all the details like that. Thank you for adding it! It was pretty funny!! I remember more Mom’s manner of confessing it to us. She was so contrite!