The joy of Christmas can best be seen through the eyes of a child. These two brothers who joined their family through adoption from foster care start their Santa story with giggles on the couch. A tall glistening Christmas tree in their living room gets them to thinking of Santa as a man with a mission. Let the magic begin! Enjoy this story from our Voices of Adoption series with best wishes from Let It Be Us.
Rudolph the Hedgehog Finds a New Family
By Jhonathan and Kevin Noonan as told to writer Mary Klest
Santa Claus has a big job to do. He has to deliver all the presents to everyone on Christmas. Starting in the U.S. he then goes to Mexico and other hot areas. No one sees him. He has a special gift for a boy named Nikko who lives in Mexico. Santa looked in his magic ball to see what Nikko wanted. He learned that Nikko was a very kind boy. He was nice to his brother and used his manners everywhere he went. He would say, “Thank you” and “Please”. Nikko never owned a toy. All he had to play with was a bouncy ball his cousin gave him. His brother wanted a football so they could practice and play in the backyard. They liked to play.
One day Nikko saw a hedgehog that curled up into a ball. He laughed and wished he could have one. Meanwhile Santa was getting ready for his trip around the world. He needed the reindeer to pull his sleigh, but they were all playing soccer. They had cleats on their hooves. Santa had not yet boxed the hedgehog. So, the hedgehog watched the reindeer play and signaled to them that he wanted to play too. The reindeer asked the elves to make some tiny cleats for the hedgehog and they did. The hedgehog could kick as far as any of the reindeer and he could run fast, but the reindeer could fly.
When it was time for Santa to leave the North Pole, he put the hedgehog in a box two feet high and one foot long. He punched holes in the box so the hedgehog could breathe. The reindeer were sad that they couldn’t play with the hedgehog anymore. They decided to name him Rudolph the hedgehog.
On Christmas morning Nikko got up early with his family and told them all “Good morning” before they opened their presents. Nikko opened the box with the holes in it and he yelled, “I’m so excited. I wanted a hedgehog for a long time.” He was surprised to see a little pair of cleats in the box too. “We can play soccer with him!” Nikko was very happy. He got a toy train and a toy airplane too, but he gave those to a friend who didn’t have any toys. He cared for his hedgehog by feeding him slugs and worms and rubbing his belly. He was a good pet and became a loved member of the family.
This is where Jhonathan, age 9, ends the story. But Kevin, age 8 continues it.
Santa travels to Asia with some pet fish and lizards for the children. He gives a rainbow squishy kitty to a girl and the boy gets a train. When Santa is in India, he gives a boy a pet dog and his sister gets a pet hamster. Another girl gets a squishy rabbit and a notebook. They all go to a big house for a party and make friends. The children share their toys.
Santa goes to Colorado to give a boy a rabbit. The boy’s mom only wants people to love each other. At another house a girl wants a brother, so the mom got a baby brother for her. Then Santa went to Africa. All the boy there wanted was a pet and food. Santa brought him a jaguar for protection. The jaguar made friends with all the people.
I think Santa might bring my mom a new necklace and my dad an ornament with a picture of them in the snow inside of it. On Christmas, I give the elves a gift. They like cookies and milk. The reindeer get carrots and candy canes. All Santa wants is for the bad guys to be good and for everyone to have fun with their families.
THE END
Happy holidays to everyone!
Let It Be Us celebrates the formation of families through fostering, adoption and legal guardianship. Tis’ the season for all families current and yet to be to help children in need. We can do it as individuals, as couples, as families and as a community. We want to give kids in Illinois foster care the most precious gift of all, a family. Get started by visiting LetitBeUs.org.
Learn more about lives touched by the work of Let It Be Us in Voices of Adoption, a series of stories about love, kindness and family.
