Little Red Robin

How hard it is to be stuck in a another dimension of Christmas celebration and still be no part of it? In my childhood I grew up in abroad. Every Christmas was torture… Just like every kid round the block excited about Christmas so was I. The streets would be decorated with fairy christmas lights, every door with the Christmas decorations and every one in merry mood.

The only problem was I was born into a traditional Orthodox hindu family…. Yes you read right…. I am a dysfunctional specimen from the very being… My strict parents never let me celebrate Christmas… It was frustrating to me… To see my friends yapp all day about Christmas this and Christmas that..And I was intrigued by their stories. God everywhere I went the Christmas magic was filled in the air. The streets were filled with the smell of roasted turkeys,chocolate puddings,cakes,stews and what nots that would water you mouth.

On the eve of every Christmas Eve… I would draw a little Christmas tree and draw presents around it and used to lay out the chocolate chip cookies and milk under the table… So that my parents would not find out…

God I would pray with all my heart just wishing that Santa would come to my home and just have the cookies…. I would pray to Lord Vishnu a Hindu God to please let him come. And even to the North Star I would…

Crazy may this sound… To a kid at that age religion doesn’t matter… It’s the spirit of a joy, magic and the excitement that overwhelmed me.

One year I prayed and prayed for the ray of magic….Just like every Christmas morning I woke up early to notice it has snowed last night and ran down the stairs like a monkey for bananas. I was heart broken like every Christmas to find that the cookies and milk were not touched…..

There I stood shivering in the deepening sadness for what it felt like years together. I questioned the universe and gods of every religion with trickling tears….what did I do wrong? Is it wrong of me to ask Santa to come to my home as I am not a christian….

Like someone above me heard my thoughts….Out on the window seal i hear a noise….I saw something move….I was scared….I slowly tip toed to the window….God it was a sight….It blew me away.

In the backyard there was the glistening soft white pure snow…..A rather small bird with a red bellie was out and looking at me….Meee!!! The most unluckiest girl on Christmas who santa would not visit. I gasped in shock….Its a Robin….oh wow!!!!It fluttered its little wings and flew away….

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This is a true story. Hope it brings you a smile reading it as much as it did while I was writing it… Bare with me…It was my first experience of seeing a robin.It took place 14 years ago….My memory may be vague but it will always remain special to me.

wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year:)

Do share your own Christmas stories in the comments below…

By Raghavasree