Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, Santa Claus, the Nativity. I just put them all together!
Hello out there! My name is Arsha, and this is my first Doctor Who story since getting hooked early November. As I was hanging ornaments on my Christmas tree this year, I was inspired to write a story about one of my favorite ornaments: the Kneeling Santa" It is one of my favorite images of Christmas, bringing both the secular and religious aspects of one of my favorite holidays together. I hope this makes everyone smile, at least a little bit.
Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas, and a happy healthy New Year!
"Come on, Nick!"
"Doctor?" Nicholas asked looking up from his long scroll. There was less than a week until Christmas, and he was starting to feel tired. He loved his work- really, he did. But at times like this, when he was receiving last-minute letters, and he was afraid of pushing the elves too hard, and Clara was busy taking care of the reindeer, he wished it was July. He was positive that everyone who had to make a deadline felt the same way at one point or another. But now there was a man he had seen before several times standing in front of him. "What on earth are you doing here?"
"I've come to pay you a visit!" the Doctor smiled.
"Doctor, you know that I enjoy a visit from an old friend any day, but things are a tad bit mad right now." Nicholas smiled tiredly.
"Exactly. That's why I'm here! I'm taking you on a little trip. A little break from the rush."
"But Doctor, I don't have the time!" He sighed exasperatedly.
"You always always forget, Nick. I do!" The Doctor waggled his eyebrows. "Let's go!"
Nick shook his head with a smile, scribbled a quick note to his wife, grabbed his coat and hat and climbed aboard the bright blue box. The interior always shocked him. He didn't travel with the Doctor often, so he forgot how big it actually was. It was similar to the North Pole- bigger on the inside. He leaned against the railing surrounding the console.
"So, Doctor, where are we off to today?"
"Sometime very special. " The Doctor smiled genuinely. "I want you to think back to when you first started giving gifts, to those three poor young women. DO you remember? And I want you to think about what you said to their father when he thanked you?"
"That he should thank God, and not me, because I was only doing what He would have wanted." Nicholas smiled warmly at the thought of the reaction of the three girls who received his first gifts.
"Exactly." the Doctor said softly.
"But what does this have to do with our trip?" The Doctor simply smiled as the TARRDIS lurched to a stop. "Doctor? Where are we?"
Again, the Doctor said nothing, but simply nodded toward the door. Nicholas walked towards it cautiously. He paused slightly before the door, and turned back to the console, only to discover that the Doctor had disappeared into the depths of his time machine. Nicholas sighed and pushed the doors open.
It was nighttime in what looked like the dessert. The night was clear and the stars shone brightly. There was a bright glow over the sand and gravel, even though there was no moon in sight. He could see a small town not far away from where he stood, and a cluster of shepherds even closer. Nicholas was about to go back into the TARDIS to find the Doctor, but froze when he saw a small light appear in front of the shepherds. They shielded their eyes from it as it grew brighter and bigger. And suddenly, a figure was visible, seemingly made out of this warm glowing light. Nicholas felt his mouth open slightly as he watched the shepherds shrink back into the grass, afraid. But Nicholas wasn't afraid, for he knew instantly who this figure was: an angel.
Even though they were a good distance away, he didn't have a problem hearing when the angel spoke:
" Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
Nicholas closed his eyes in disbelief. He felt a hand on his shoulder, a turned to see the Doctor with a huge grin on his face, dressed like the shepherds that they watched. More angels soon appeared, and a beautiful song of praise was heard.
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among men with whom he is pleased!"
As the angels began to disappear, the shepherds spoke amongst themselves and began to gather their flocks. They began to walk towards where Nicholas and the Doctor stood. when they finally reached the two men, they explained what had happened, and invited them to come with them. Like a child asking for permission, Nicholas turned to the Doctor who nodded. They followed the group of men into the nearby city and to a small stable behind a small inn. As they approached, several froze in front of the stable, unsure of what they were to find . A warm light emanated from the small structure and a childs gurgle rang out. Nicholas, still in his red suit, pushed to the front, not afraid at all at what he would see.
Within the stable he found a young woman no older than 16, very tired, but seemingly very content laying in the hay. A man, some years older than her, sat next to her, holding her hand. He, too, seemed happy. In front of them was a small manger filled with hay. Nestled snuggly in the hay was a newborn child, wrapped tightly in several layers of fabric.
There was no halo, and the glorious angels had since left. It was a stable. It was smelly and dirty. The straw was rough, and the cool night air had a bite to it. The candle light was dim, and the animals were loud.
But Nicholas knew that this was something special. So he knelt in front of the newborn king* and respectfully removed his hat, as tears pricked the back of his eyes.
Mary, no older than 16, had just become the mother of God.
Jesus Christ, the prophesized savior, was a baby reaching for Nicholas's beard.
Nicholas looked between the two, and took the infant Jesus' small hand in his own large one. He spoke softly.
"This child..." he started, his voice cracking slightly. Bu he soon found himself unable to think of anything else to say. ..is a miracle...will save the world...will do great things...nothing he thought of sounded right. As he thought, Mary had leaned forward and had laid her hand on his soft red coat. She looked at him with kind eyes and nodded. "I know."
The two locked eyes for a moment, before the shepherds came in, realizing the magnificence of the sight before them. Nicholas stood, and walked back outside to find the Doctor. He said nothing as they walked back over the fields where the shepherds had began to the TARDIS. Even the ride back to modern-day North Pole was silent.
"Merry Christmas, Nicholas." The Doctor said with a smile when they reached their destination. Nicholas surprised him by pulling him into a fierce embrace only capable by the man who went by Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, Father Christmas, and so many more.
"Merry Christmas to you, too, Doctor. And thank you. Thank you so much."
* This is the scene that inspired this story, and of which I have an ornament- Santa kneeling in front of the Baby Jesus.
The Bible quotations used were Luke 2:10-16, Revise Standard Version- Catholic Edition.
Yes, I took some creative liberty in what really happened. I don't intend or even remotely wish to offend anyone, and I apologize if I did. If it is really bad, please, let me know so that I can change it.
Love, Arsha