When I woke up in the middle of Christmas night, something felt wrong. The house was too quiet—eerily quiet. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock. It was 2 a.m. Thirst tugged at my throat, so I slipped out of bed and headed toward the kitchen.
On the way, I noticed Mya’s bedroom door slightly open. That was strange—I had shut it earlier. I leaned in to close it, but then I froze. Her bed was empty.
My heart stopped.
“Mya?” I whispered, pushing the door wider. The sheets were crumpled, her favorite stuffed reindeer lay on the floor, but my little girl was nowhere in sight.
I searched the bathroom. Empty. I rushed from one room to the other, panic making my chest tighten. She wasn’t there.
I burst into our bedroom. “Hayden!” My voice shook. “Hayden, wake up! Mya’s gone!”
“What?” he mumbled, jolting upright. “Are you sure? Maybe she’s hiding.”
“She’s not here, Hayden,” I cried, tears already running down my cheeks. “I checked every room.”
Hayden leapt out of bed, pulling on his robe, and we both scoured the house. That’s when I noticed something else—my car keys were missing from their usual spot. My stomach dropped.
I was reaching for the phone, ready to call the police, when Hayden shouted from the living room. “Honey, look! There’s a note under the tree.”
I hurried over, my hands trembling as I picked up the letter written in Mya’s careful handwriting.
Dear Santa,
I know you and your reindeer have a very hard time on Christmas night. It must be so difficult to visit every child in the world and bring them a gift. I think your reindeer must be very tired, so I thought I’d help.
When you come to my house with the games I asked for, please go to the abandoned house across the street so your reindeer can rest there. I brought them warm clothes and blankets so they could take a nap.
I also brought some sandwiches for them. Mom made these for me and kept them in the fridge. I made some vegetable sandwiches in case they don’t like the chicken ones.
You’ll also find Mom’s car keys there. You can use the car in case the reindeer feel tired and you still have to deliver more gifts. Just return the keys before dawn, please!
Love,
Mya
Tears blurred my vision as I read her sweet words. Relief washed over me—at least I knew where my car keys were, and more importantly, where Mya had gone. Without waiting another second, I threw on my coat and ran across the street.
There she was—my little girl—curled up behind some bushes near the old abandoned house. She had her winter coat on and a bag of sandwiches beside her. Her cheeks were red from the cold, but her eyes sparkled with determination.
I knelt down beside her. “Mya, sweetheart, what are you doing out here?”
She looked up at me, her face glowing with pride. “I’m waiting for Santa, Mom! I wanted his reindeer to rest before they went to the other houses.”
Oh, my heart. I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. “Let’s go home, my little helper,” I whispered, smiling through tears.
I helped her gather the blankets and sandwiches, pretending I hadn’t seen the note she left. Some magic is too precious to spoil.
The next morning, Mya bolted toward the tree. Her eyes widened when she spotted something new—a folded piece of paper propped against her gift.
“Look, Mom! Look, Dad!” she cried, tearing it open.
Hayden and I exchanged a secret smile as she read the note we had written for her.
Hello, Mya!
Thank you for your thoughtful note. My reindeer are indeed grateful for the blankets and sandwiches, especially Vixen. I returned your mom’s car just like you asked. You’re a wonderful girl and you’ve made this Christmas magical.
– Santa
Mya’s face lit up like the brightest star. She clutched the note to her chest, her voice bubbling with joy. “Mom! Dad! Santa used the blankets! And Vixen ate my sandwiches!”
I pulled her into my arms, breathing her in. “Yes, baby,” I said softly. “You made this Christmas so special.”
And when she opened her Nutcracker ballet tickets, her gasp of delight was everything I had hoped for.
But as I watched her twirl around the living room, clutching Santa’s note in one hand and her ticket in the other, I realized something important—while I had always tried to make Christmas magical for her, this year she had given me the greatest gift.
She had made Christmas magical for us.
✨ Sometimes the best presents don’t come in shiny boxes or with ribbons. They come straight from the heart of a child.
