The rainbow never sets
on the table and whispered: "That's for Mutter."
"Oh, good. So you are good boys, after all. In that case I can leave a little gift for you here."
He delved into his bag again and brought out two little parcels and put them on the table.
"Here, this one is for you," he gave one to Günter, "and this one is for you." I received a little red parcel with a green ribbon.
"You can open it later, and if you are good, I'll bring some more on Christmas eve."
"Thank you, Father Christmas," we said together. "Well, I had better be off again. There are many more children to visit. Be good and behave yourselves."
A cold draft came in as he opened the door. We heard a few heavy stomps from his boots outside, and then he was gone. For a moment we were all silent. What could one say after such a visit? It had been, to say the least, awe-inspiring.
Soon after this, Vater appeared. "Vater, Vater, you missed him?" "Missed whom?"
"Father Christmas was here. Yes, he came to visit us, and look what he has left for us."
"Well, that is very nice of him. Aren't you going to open your presents?"
When I unwrapped mine, I saw a little tin soldier in his sentry box emerging from the paper. Günter had a soldier in a shooting position.
"We can add these to our soldier collection," I said. "Isn't that nice of Father Christmas."
*
The rocking horse stopped for a moment. I thought, how stupid we were then, believing in Father Christmas, and showing him the presents we were making for Vater, when hidden under the furside-turned-outfootwarmer, and behind the white beard was Vater himself. We had given away our Christmas secret.
This practice of Vater turning up as Father Christmas stopped when we were about six or seven. By then Günter was already suspicious, as Vater was never present during those visits, and I think he might have also recognised his voice.
As I began rocking again, my mind went back only a couple of years.
*
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