Santa Gets Sober I am an alcoholic; my name is Nicholas. You can call me Nick for short. I always knew I was different from other kids in my neighborhood. See,I was born with this beard, and instead of having a dog like the other guys, I had reindeers for pets. Most kids like to get things, but I always gave, whatever I had. That made me happy and I hoped people would like me. My mother always told me, "Don't worry, someday people will look up to you." But I was lonely, with no one to talk to except the reindeer. I had problems going to sleep at night when I was in high school, just tossing and turning and thinking about my future. That's when I discovered that a little glass of wine at night would help me sleep. Soon I was sleeping real good, but after a while I needed more than just a little glass; I needed a big glass to produce that blessed sleep. Things continued like that for a while. I functioned fine during the day, but nights were a different story. That's when the wine took over. During this time, I got a job, and I really, really liked it. I was helping this old guy deliver toys and presents on Christmas. This fit right in for me, because I always liked to give and now I could do it professionally, and people would like me more. I didn't have a car or a truck but I could use that big old sleigh that was out back in the barn. I could even have my friends the reindeer pull it. I was sleeping better, so I stopped drinking at night. Everything was going great. I even met the Mrs. Her name is Sara -- what a wonderful woman. She made cookies and candies for me to bring with the toys on Christmas. Life was great until the old man died. There went the job. But Sara said, "Why not continue? You do a good job, you know what you're doing." So I kept doing what I loved best -- delivering presents on Christmas. But during the slow season I was bored, so I started hitting the eggnog and the fruitcake that Sara made (it had all that delicious brandy in it). Guess what? Sara started to change. She began to nag: "You never do things around the house anymore." She even had the nerve to hint that I was slightly intoxicated sometimes. I worked so hard, I figured I deserved all the enjoyment I could get. What harm could a little eggnog do, or a couple of brews with the local elves? Then the reindeer began giving me trouble. They were annoyed because I had gotten lost one Christmas eve. It had nothing to do with the fact that I'd had several hot toddies during the trip. It was all that snow -- anyone would have gotten lost. So I got myself a new reindeer to lead them, a guy with a bright red nose. He could set his radar and get us anywhere, and I could continue doing my thing with no problem. That is, until one night I got pulled over by a state trooper. I told him who I was and he said, "Sure you are," and charged me with driving while intoxicated. Things were getting most unpleasant. I was mixing up the toy lists. My wife wasn't talking to me. The reindeer weren't happy. My head hurt every morning. And I was having problems parking the sleigh on rooftops. I even tried the geographic cure -- we moved to the North Pole. But things didn't change. Then one Christmas Eve, in my usual stupor, I parked sideways on this one roof and I had a terrible time getting down the chimney. In fact, I went headfirst, and now I really needed a drink. So when I got into this house, I started looking around for some booze. But there was nothing, just those rotten cookies and a glass of milk. How I hated the taste of milk by that time. Couldn't someone take pity on me and leave me a nice hot toddy with rum! After all, it was so cold out there in the sleigh. I guess I was banging around and making too much noise, because I woke up this guy. He came downstairs and asked if he could help me. "Help me? Sure. Where do you keep the booze -- I need a drink." The guy said there wasn't any because he didn't drink. I wondered what kind of a person I was dealing with. He must be a real nut. Then he started to tell me that he had drunk in the past but it caused him so many problems that he didn't drink anymore. I was interested in that. I wanted him to give me his magic formula and he said it was simple. "I don't drink one day at a time." He also said, "I go to meetings, I keep it simple, I read the Big Book, I carry the message -- and that's how I stay sober." At that point I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired, I was willing to try anything. I wasn't sure if there was a meeting at the North Pole, but this guy told me I could start one. Before I left, the guy gave me a book which he referred to as the Big Book. This was my first present -- I had always been the giver and never let anyone give me anything. I asked him to write something in the book for me, and this is what he wrote: Dear Nicholas, Merry Christmas! Your friend, Bill W. And that's how Santa got sober. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

A.A. Thought for the Day The way of faith is, of course, not confined to A.A. It is for everybody who really wants to live. But many people can go through life without much of it. Many are doing so, to their own sorrow. The world is full of lack of faith. Many people have lost confidence in any meaning in the universe. Many are wondering if it has any meaning at all. Many are at loose ends. Life has no goal for many. They are strangers in the land. They are not at home. But for us in A.A., the way of faith is the way of life. We have proved by our past lives that we could not live without it. Do I think I could live happily without faith? Meditation for the Day "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends the rain on the just and the unjust." God does not interfere with the working of natural laws. The laws of nature are unchangeable; otherwise we could not depend on them. As far as natural laws are concerned, God makes no distinction between good and bad people. Sickness or death may strike anywhere. But spiritual laws are also made to be obeyed. On our choice of good or evil depends whether we go upward to true success and victory in life or downward to loss and defeat. Prayer for the Day I pray that I may choose today the way of the spiritual life. I pray that I may live today with faith and hope and love.

Excelent, I read this one at 05:30 this morning before work and it was a good start to the day. Just re-read it again to make sure I had read it correctly this morning (Not very awake at 05:30).

How is everyone? Yippee it's Friday, time to relax after a hard week (or not, with all the preperations for Christmas coming up!)

Keep smiling, stay sober, and be happy!

Bye for now.

Chris.

Oh Thanks so much Phil... I have waited all these years for someone to be honest with me about Santa...

... I always thought he never brought me that pony or the polaroid camera because I was a bad little sucker with invisible horns and a curl in the middle of my forehead...

if only folks had been honest way back then, and told me the ol bugger got plastered and forgot where he was, I could've made a lot more sense of that cognitively as a kid!...

Sending everyone a cheerio for Christmas from Aus. Good to hear you are rocking on too Cabbagehead! Hope you are enjoying your English Christmas (I had one in 1980...snowy and cold)The airconditioner is still cranking over here, but the kids and I did have a go at putting spray snow on the windows while decorating (don't ask me why????) but it melted within an hour and there is not a sign of it left. We also put decos all through the garden, but they were magic ones and just dissappeared during the last storm. We have some absolutely stunning electrical storms out here.

The bank balance has been stretched beyond overdrive... and the credit providers are no doubt rubbing their hands together somewhere drinking eggnog or something... the tree is sparkling and shining, the Christmas C.D has had a bit of a run and the TV is running back to back Christmas movies compliments of the kids, Santas letters have been written and I have sent hampers to the Senior Cits and RSPCA...am still waiting on a few pressies being sent in from OS and around Aus, just to add to that last minute "Am I organised?" panic... so everything is just about normal I think.

Onward Cupid, Onward Donna, Onward Blitzen!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night...

Saint Nic (there is one time of the year, I do call myself a saint - but only to remind myself to try and act like one!... never heard of a selfish saint)