Chapter 6 Santa and the Vulcans
ooOoo
Sarek gradually came out of meditation in the Garden of Thought. This session had been fruitful in that he had come up with a more logical, convincing point of view to bring to the conference table concerning Batimingo's admission into the Federation. Hopefully, the matter would be settled before Christmas day. He left the garden and headed for home.
Usually, Amanda celebrated Christmas with her sister's family on Earth and when his schedule permitted it, he went with her. They were living in San Francisco, at the Vulcan Embassy, the first year he went with her. He had found the experience fascinating and had become good friends with Patricia, Robert and later, their son Bobbie.
This year Patricia, Robert, and Bobbie were coming to celebrate Christmas on Vulcan for the first time. What will they think of Vulcan? Will they mind not having a white Christmas? He had purchased a live Douglas fir tree in a planter, from Earth and it had been delivered in time for the annual Christmas party they hosted for the employees of the Terran Embassy who could not go home for Christmas. Spock had helped him set it up in their living room, under Amanda's supervision. The three of them had decorated it with the old-fashioned ornaments that Amanda had brought from Earth and some homemade Vulcan ornaments that Spock had made as a child, down through the years. Spock would help him move it into the greenhouse after the holidays.
When Spock was four years old, Amanda told him, in more detail, about Christmas and the real Santa Claus, Bishop Nicholas. She explained about the fables that people made up about him out of their great love for him and how, as a bishop, he really did care if children were naughty or nice. She told Spock how the bishop was responsible for establishing children's rights in his seaside village and how he bravely led the villagers to the sea to rescue survivors of shipwrecks.
Then Amanda explained that it was the right of the parents of children, everywhere, to decide what to tell their children about Santa Claus and when they should be told the truth. Spock promised them he would respect that custom and keep the truth to himself.
The corners of his mouth quirked upward slightly, as he remembered an amusing anecdote. It was the Christmas when Spock was eleven years old and Spock had told Bobbie about the Pre-Reform Vulcans who refused to accept the Way of Surak and left Vulcan in rocket ships. Bobbie was holding a picture of an Elf, at the time, compared it to Spock's profile and excitedly exclaimed that the emotional Vulcans must have come to Earth, called themselves Elves and had been making toys for Santa Claus ever since! Spock's eyebrows shot up, nearly to his hairline as had his. Amanda, Patricia and Robert just laughed and shook their heads.
He drove up his driveway and parked his sporty red flitter in the garage. When He got in the house, he would have to check his personal messages to see if Amanda's Christmas present had arrived yet at Solek's Jewelers.