Guest Post: Visit from Santa Lifts Jillyn's Spirits

Here's an absolutely beautiful guest post from one of my favorite fans about how much a visit from my dad means to her...

Everyone that celebrates Christmas has a favorite story about Santa Claus. We all have that ONE Christmas that just cannot be topped, that one toy that lit up our life and stands out above all others. (One that especially stands out to me is the Barbie Jeep I received when I was seven, but I digress). For me, last Christmas is the one that Santa went above and beyond for me.

I was a bit sad last Christmas. I was unable to go home for a long amount of time, since my house isn't always the most pleasant place. My girlfriend of three years, Emily, was kind enough to let me stay over at her house, and celebrate the holidays with her family. I was a bit pouty, and I was afraid that Santa would forget about me, since I wasn't at my home. And, a very small, sad part of me wondered if he was angered with me. So many people, family and strangers alike, looked down on my relationship -- would Santa disown me for loving a girl too?

I fell asleep that night under the tree that Emily had set up in spite of her cats in an attempt to cheer me up. Curled in a fluffy pink cupcake-patterned blanket with a rainbowteddy bear in my arms, I remember dreaming about the old-timey Christmases I'd had as a kid. The bright shiny piles of presents, the massive teddy bear print stocking I'd hung from the fireplace each year, the tins filled to the brim with cookies I'd baked especially for Santa all looked so real, and were close enough to the visions of sugar plums that all those tales teach us about. I never told Emily this (for fear of laughter), but I left candy out on my bookshelf. It wasn't cookies, but I wanted Santa to know that I believed, that I had hope. That I needed the magic of Christmas more than I ever needed it before.

I awoke to find that I had presents! Actual presents, and a filled stocking! Tears streamed down my cheeks as I pulled pink and purple candy canes and a plushie pug from my pink Disney princess stocking. I unwrapped my presents, among them a Katniss Barbie and a Cinderella DVD set.

But there was one gift that I'd wanted more than anything else, and when I pulled away the Loki wrapping paper, there it was. A Kindle! A Kindle! Just for me! It was wrapped up in a pink case, that was then adorned with pink and white glittery stickers that spelled my name, with princess castles and tiaras. It was perfect.

In that moment, I could feel the Christmas magic at work. I held in my hand the object I'd most wanted, beside the most loving, beautiful girl in my life. It didn't matter that my own home was a bit messy, that I was dating a female against the view of some people in my life. Santa found me, and with that little twinkle of Christmas spirit we can see in the frosting of the gingerbread cookies, the lights on the tree, in the unmarked fallen snow on the lawn, he lifted my spirits back up.

Santa doesn't care who you love, or where you come from. If goodness and the spirit of Christmas lie in your heart, Santa will find his way to you. Keep your head up high, and don't let other people get to you. It gets better -- Santa and I say so :)

Now go rekindle your Christmas spirit! Go drink cocoa and listen to music or watch a movie like Home Alone 2 or Elf or my favorite, The Year Without a Santa Claus. Spread that cheer and wear a smile, tell those around you that you love them, and have a very warm, loving, and happy Christmas, and a prosperous and even better New Year. (And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a just-as- happy Kwanzaa, Yule, Hannukah, Saturnalia, and any other holiday too!)

With love and tidings,

Jillyn

Jillyn is a 21-year-old LGBT book blogger and a student at Southern Illinois University. She is a Goodreads.com Top 1% Reviewer and an official co-host of North Pole High’s #SantaChat Christmas parties. Follow her on Twitter at @jayohsul and read her book reviews at Bitches n Prose (bitchesnprose.blogspost.com).