Beyond a Snowy Path – Christmas in July

 

Adrian Gibb

 

Down a misty lane, and beyond a snowy path
Stands a thatched cottage with a woman at the hearth.
Her name is Sister Mary, for she chose to be a nun
And she sits by a roaring fire with a cat upon her tum…

I sat with eager anticipation as the tree lights began to play
Waiting for the story I would hear as sure as day.
For each and every Christmas I would sit in this big chair
And listen to Sister Mary’s tales without a care.

“Many years ago”, she began. “When I was still a young nun
An opportunity arose for a holiday in the sun.
A request had been sent, with politeness and with grace
For help with some orphans, in a faraway place.

So to Australia I flew and imagine my surprise
When I arrived to a winter in the middle of July.
My surprise was surpassed though, after two days or three
When I saw candles and decorations, and a lovely Christmas Tree!

Now as you may know I have a special friend
Who is known as Saint Nick, though some say he’s pretend.
So I immediately asked my superior that urgent question why
There seemed to be unfolding a Christmas in July!

“It gets too hot in December” said my sweet old Mother Abbot
“So we lose some of the traditions that for you is just a habit!
Our normal Christmas Day is spent swimming and not by a fire
And our Christmas feast is cold with all the prawns and fruit that we desire.”

‘But many of us long for the Christmases of old
And celebrating Yule in the chill and in the cold.
So each winter there is a trend for a hot feast and fire dry
It gets bigger and bigger every year this Christmas in July.’

And I started to enjoy it, until a young girl made me pause
When she told me of her sadness that there was no Santa Claus.
It seems that though the great man would make his Christmas Eve run,
He simply did not make this July Christmas in the sun!

Now Santa once gave me something, a signal if you like
To let him know if I was in trouble or needed his great might.
It was a small wooden reindeer, Rudolph I suppose
And if I needed Santa I just pressed its small red nose.

Well it took about a minute for me to hear some proof
Of Santa’s quiet arrival with some pawing on the roof.
I quickly raced up, far from the Christmas crowd
But when I first saw Santa I had to laugh out loud!

He was wearing blue sandals and white socks beyond belief
And on his grey and curly head was a tied up handkerchief.
His shorts were blue too, but his legs were as white as can be
And he wore a bright Hawaiian shirt that added to the glee.

“What’s wrong Mary?” he asked quickly, oblivious to my mirth
“Why did you press the nose, I’ve flown half way round the earth!”
“I need to ask you something”, I said with giggling hesitation
“I had no idea you were…well…I guess you are on vacation!”

He was standing with his reindeer and a very empty sleigh
On the top of the Orphans home in the middle of the day.
But he was not worried that any adults would perceive
For the trick to seeing Santa is, you have to truly believe!

“Well I’m sorry to call you but we have a problem here
These children and the adults are full of Christmas cheer.
But though the children fill the tree with baubles that they pick
It saddens them to know that there will be no Saint Nick!”

“That’s right”, he said with a sigh. “I know it sounds quite wrong
But December is the time for Yuletide feast and Christmas song.
I have been on thousands if not millions of festive Eve-time runs
But I cannot break with tradition, it just simply can’t be done!”

“But why?” I asked with a pout. “Why does it matter what the season?”
“Because I worry this Christmas”, he said “Is for a selfish reason!”
“Christmas may have become all about snow and feasts and mirth,
But it should be all about celebrating a certain birth!”

And just as he said that, with a sad admonishing ring
A sound drifted up to us as the children began to sing.
And at once I was transported to the Christmas I know so well
As softly beautiful voices sung sweetly Noel Noel!

Well Santa couldn’t ignore it and he smiled a cheeky grin.
“Maybe their hearts are really in it! Come on Mary, hop in”
So I jumped into the sleigh and down to the road side we flew
And Santa knocked on the door, despite his shirt and sandals blue.

And Mother Abbot answered, and she couldn’t believe her eyes
“Merry Christmas children, it’s me Saint Nick, Happy Christmas in July!”
Well the small sad girl who made me pause raced out to the empty sleigh
But she bypassed Santa totally and hugged me straight away.

“Sister Mary has convinced me”, said Santa. “That I should be coming here,
Not just for this July but each and every year!
And I will gladly do this, because I think I should,
Just as long as you keep this present, made out of special wood!”

And he handed over a nativity scene that seemed ancient old and dull
But the effect over the children was like he cast a spell!
And he made them promise they would remember just what Christmas was about
Then he ruffled my mousey hair and flew off with a shout.

“And to this day in July”, she said to me. “He visits that and many homes
And the orphans send me Christmas cards, no matter where I roam.
For Saint Nick had discovered that in July you can still employ
The festive signs of Christmas to honour a special baby boy!”

“But what was the special wood?” I asked her with a start
“That the nativity scene was made of, that blessed the orphan’s heart?”
“Ah” said Sister Mary, “I would not dare to be so bold!”
“It Santa’s secret!” But then she whispered “It’s two thousand years old!”

And so down a misty lane, and beyond a snowy path
I left a small thatched cottage, an old woman at the hearth.
Are her tales truthful, and the adventures she perceives?
If yay or nay, I know this day, I’ll be back next Christmas Eve!