The Legend of the Christmas Turtle

You know about reindeer, elves, even that new Elf on a Shelf, but do you know about the Christmas Turtle? We didn't, until a woman at church mentioned him on Christmas Eve. See, Sis and Bud had received Woot shirts (pictured here at left; and you can still buy one, at the link!) with a turtle dressed like a Christmas tree and Bud wore his to Christmas Eve services. We thought it was just a cute picture; we didn't know it was real.

Santa's helpers come in all shapes, sizes, and species, indicative of the beautiful melange that is life on earth. But the Christmas Turtle, being a turtle, is slower than the other helpers, taking longer to perform his Christmas duties, which include delivering toys.

So, if you've ever found a gift under the tree a few days later, one you know wasn't there on the big day, you've been visited by the Christmas Turtle. The Christmas Turtle doesn't visit everyone, and not every year; it just depends.

And we were visited this year! We found a gift bag under the tree as we were taking it down, a gift of several Star Wars pjs for Sis and Bud. It was a sweet surprise, extending the holiday, giving a little extra joy during what is sometimes a post-holiday letdown. Now that I think on it, we had been visited before--and I remember several visits during my childhood--but I never knew why. I just figured Gommie or Mama had forgotten a gift.

Now I know. So I'm grateful to the Christmas Turtle for this last gift of the season--not the pjs, the magic.