A Brother’s Apology
Mrs. Claus and I don’t always agree on everything. In fact, it's her main job to double-check all of my decisions. She double-checks my checking it twice. I’m human; even I make mistakes.
At the North Pole, things are not always as jolly and bright as you’d think. I try to be lenient on the whole team, but I know around here, everyone puts a lot of pressure on themselves. One chilly December evening, just weeks before Christmas, Mrs. Claus and I were in my cozy office, reviewing the final Nice and Naughty lists. We take this task very seriously, as you might imagine. The elves were bustling about, finishing the last of the toy making, while the reindeer were getting their final training runs in. All was merry and bright, or so it seemed.
“We need to talk,” Mrs. Claus said, her voice unusually stern.
Sensing trouble, I thought to myself… What did I do now? I looked up from the list, “What is it, dear?”
“It’s about David and Jonathan,” she said. “They’re on the Naughty List.”
I nodded. “Yeah, it was a close call, but they weren’t very nice to their youngest brother, Benjamin. On two occasions, they tormented Ben like little bullies. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I am just being fair.”
Mrs. Claus folded her arms, her decision already made. She exclaimed her case, “Nick, you know these boys. They had a lapse in judgment and felt sorry afterward. All year, they’ve been courteous to elders, worked hard to get good grades, and even apologized for their behavior toward little Ben. They help their parents, respect their teachers, and for the rest of the year, they’ve been nothing but kind and caring to each other.”
I sighed. “I know, but actions have consequences. Benjamin was quite upset, and I couldn’t ignore that.”
She insisted, “You know this better than anyone... Brothers will be brothers. Even Benjamin has forgiven them, and I bet if you asked Ben, he would nominate his older brothers for the Nice List if he could.”
Now this gave me pause. Benjamin was a sweet child, always quick to forgive and forget, and I cared for him deeply. If he had found it in his heart to forgive his brothers, maybe I should too. “Alright,” I finally changed my mind, my heart warming to the idea. “Let’s move them to the Nice List. After all, Christmas is a time for forgiveness, second chances, and giving, more and more giving.”
Mrs. Claus beamed and gave me a kiss. “Thanks, Nick. I know they’ll be grateful.”
And so, with a quick swipe of my pen, Dave and Jon were transferred to the Nice List. The elves gave a delightful cheer, and the reindeer even nodded with approval as word spread throughout the workshop.
Flash forward to Christmas Eve. My sleigh was packed tighter than an Amazon delivery truck. Halfway through the night, I reached Dave, Jon, and Ben’s house, and something unexpected happened.
There, right next to the fireplace, was a letter addressed to me. I picked it up and read it carefully. It was from 13-year-old David.
Dear Santa, I feel very sorry for being naughty this year. I remember being bullied when I was young and how I hated it. Then I bullied Ben and even got Jon to join in. It’s not Jon’s fault that we made Ben cry and made him feel bad. Ben actually deserves the most gifts because he is such a good kid. Please give him something extra special. Merry Christmas. From David.
As I read this, a smile spread across my face, a tear rolled down my cheek, and my heart swelled with pride. David had shown selflessness and love for both of his brothers. It is moments like these that make my job the best in the world.
I did leave something extra special for Benjamin that night, a large Lego set that he would need his brothers' help to build.
Before flying off into the night, I stuffed David’s letter into the list. I couldn’t wait to show Mrs. Claus that she was right about them.
“Alright, Prancer, we’re off to the next door.”
