Every child in our classroom was buzzing with excitement as they walked in with big, beautiful gifts. Secret Santa day had finally arrived. We couldn’t wait to see what our Santas had gotten us. But while the room was full of joy, shyness, and a bit of greed for the best gift, Bobby sat alone in a corner. He was clutching an envelope, his eyes filled with tears, looking completely devastated.
“So kids,” our teacher, Mrs. Torres, said. “Are we all ready?” A loud unison of squeaky voices shouted, “Yes, Mrs. Torres!” She smiled and asked who wanted to go first. Everyone chirped “Me! Me!” but she looked at Bobby, who was sitting quietly in the chaos.
“I think Bobby can go first,” she said. We all turned to look at him, but he didn’t even raise his head. Mrs. Torres walked over to his desk. “Are you OK? You got a name for the game, didn’t you?” Bobby nodded slowly. “Sally. I got her name. But I don’t have a gift… just a letter.” Mrs. Torres encouraged him to give it to her anyway.
Bobby walked up to my desk and held out the envelope. “I’m sorry, Sally,” he said. “I couldn’t buy you a gift, but I wrote you a letter.” I was so rude. “You wrote what?” I snapped. “It’s Secret Santa, Bobby!” He looked so sad. “I just… I couldn’t buy one.”
“I HATE YOU!” I cried out. “My daddy bought you a nice gift, but you didn’t get anything for me?” He told me he made it himself and drew reindeer because he knew I loved them. “Eww!” I yelled. “That’s awful! Bobby is so poor he couldn’t even buy a gift!” Mrs. Torres told me I was being mean and to apologize, but I refused. “He ruined my day! He can go beg on the streets!” Bobby went back to his seat in tears.
At the end of the day, after we all left, Mrs. Torres found the letter Bobby had left behind. She read it and started crying. She ran out to find Bobby, but he was gone. She saw me instead and made me read it. I didn’t want to, but she convinced me.
The letter said: “I am sorry, Sally. I am the worst Santa. My mommy is very sick. She has a bad heart and can’t walk. I saved money for your gift in my piggy bank, but I had to give it to Mommy to help her. When she is better, I will get you a reindeer toy. I wish you and your mommy always stay happy. I hope you never see her sad.”
I started sobbing. “His mommy is sick?” I asked. I told Mrs. Torres how much I missed my own mommy, who had passed away when I was a baby. I felt so bad for being such a mean girl. Mrs. Torres hugged me and told me I had a beautiful heart for wanting to help.
The next day, I went to Bobby’s desk. “I found your letter,” I told him. “I’m so sorry. I don’t have a mommy, and I miss her, and I just felt bad.” Bobby gave me a huge smile and asked if I liked the reindeer. I giggled and said it was ugly but I loved it. We became best friends that day.
Later, my dad and I visited Bobby’s house with gifts and an envelope of money for his mom’s surgery. My dad told Bobby’s parents he knew the pain of seeing a loved one suffer since my mom had passed away. He convinced them to accept the help as a Christmas miracle.
Once Bobby’s mom, Linda, recovered, our lives changed. I didn’t feel like I was missing a mother anymore. I had my best friend Bobby, and I had “Linda mommy” to love me back. I learned that you should never judge someone until you know their whole story. Love really can conquer anything.
