Christmas Lists

Weihnachtsmann. Pére Nöel. Sinterklaas. Shèngdàn lǎorén. Babbo Natale. Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas. Regardless of what you call him, Santa Claus will soon be coming to a chimney near you. The question is, of course, have you been naughty or nice? If you are like me, the answer is probably a little bit of both. I put a lot of effort into being a nice guy, but, sometimes, things just don’t go as planned. What we really want to know is if we have been good enough to get what is on our Christmas lists.

Growing up, Christmas lists were not something I worried about. Nowhere in my mind are there even vague memories of writing a list for Santa. That doesn’t mean I never asked for things growing up; it just means I never wrote them down. Since I have become a husband, however, my wife has strongly urged me to put what I want in writing. This is not easy for me to do because I have a hard time making such decisions. It isn’t that I don’t know what I want, I just don’t want to sound greedy.

This year, while trying to decide what to put on my list, I chose to change my decision-making process. Rather than trying to pick something I don’t really need, I made a list of items to inspire my writing.

One of the projects I am currently researching is a historical fiction piece set shortly after World War One. This year’s list consisted of several reproduction photos, CDs of music from the period, and books. (I always ask for books.) I have also had my eye on a map showing the lay of the land in Europe as of 1919. It is a project that I have become very passionate about, so Christmas is the best time to stock up on research and inspirational material.

I hope, if you are working on any stories of your own, Santa brings you the inspiration you need. I also hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful Christmas.

Just thought I would jot this down.