Merry Christmas, Mom! Sorry Santa came early this year. That never happened before.

The following story was submitted by a precocious nine-year-old living in a military community outside Fort Liberty, N.C.

SPRING LAKE, N.C. — Look. I know I’m a kid, but I’m not naive. I know the “big secret”: Santa Claus isn’t real. Just like the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and those ‘great business opportunities’ Uncle Jody is always trying to sell us.  

But then again, I know what I saw last night. I was conducting a recon of a suspected cache of presents when I heard voices in the living room. I immediately went into stealth mode and made a silent approach. As I crept up to the edge of the stairs and peered into the living room, I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.