Brennan knew something had upset Hank the moment she saw him coming into the lobby at daycare. He crashed into her legs with more force than usual.

"Mommy!" Brennan wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his head.

"Hi sweetheart, is something wrong?"

"Josh said Santa isn't gonna come this year because of the germies!"

Brennan bit her lip to keep from laughing as she bent down to help Hank with his jacket. "Santa is coming on Christmas eve to deliver your presents, Hank. Because of the 'germies' he won't be coming to the mall to find out what you would like for Christmas. Instead, you'll have to write him a letter, like daddy and I did when we were yours and Christine's age. We'll mail it to the North Pole." Brennan stood up and took Hank's hand and they headed to her car.

"You know Santa's address?"

"Santa doesn't have an address like we do. He and Mrs. Claus along with the elves and reindeer are the only people and animals who live there. We just have to write 'Santa Claus North Pole ' on the envelope and it will get there. We don't even have to use a stamp, letters to Santa are magic. Santa will probably leave yours and Christine's presents on the porch, like they do with our grocery delivery, so he doesn't have to come inside the house and risk getting 'germies'. Daddy and I will put them under the tree before you and Christine get up Christmas morning."

"When can we mail my letter to Santa?"

"You can tell me what you would like when we get home and I will write it down for you. We'll mail it in a few weeks once Christine has a chance to write her own letter."

"Okay. Can we still leave milk and cookies and carrots for the reindeer?"

"Yes. Daddy can move one of the small patio tables and a lawn chair to the front porch so Santa has a place to sit while he has his cookies and milk." Brennan put Hank his booster seat and strapped him in.

"Okay."

B&B

Later that night Booth and Brennan were in bed, "what were you and Hank doing when I came home, Bones?"

"We were writing his letter to Santa, I was going to write it for him, but he wanted to so I was guiding his hand through the letters."

"Isn't a little early to be writing to Santa? We usually don't mention Christmas until after thanksgiving. Halloween was just last week…"

"A little yes, but Josh told him that Santa would not be coming this year because of the 'germies'."

Booth groaned, "Bones, why didn't you say something earlier? I could have reassured Hank that Santa is going to still come even though Covid-19 is still here before he went to bed…."

"Because I handled it. I told Hank that Santa would still come on Christmas Eve to bring presents for him and Christine. I told him that Santa won't be at the mall to ask him what he'd like for Christmas so he'd need to write Santa a letter that we'd mail. He was shocked I knew Santa's address, I told him that Santa doesn't have an address like we do. I said that he and Mrs. Claus along with the elves and reindeer are the only people and animals who live there. I said that we just have to write 'Santa Claus North Pole ' on the envelope and it will get there. We don't even have to use a stamp, letters to Santa are magic. I told him that Santa will probably leave his and Christine's presents on the porch, so he doesn't have to come inside the house and risk getting 'germies'. I said that you and I will put them under the tree before he and Christine get up Christmas morning."

"Good story, Bones. I thought you didn't believe in Santa or the whole 'Christmas myth' and hated Christmas because of what Max and your mom did…"

"Thanks, Booth. I don't believe in Santa or the whole Christmas myth. Over the years I've learned to accept it to an extent because it brings you and the children so much joy. I love having a part in bringing all of you that joy. I hate the whole month of December because of what mom and dad did, but not as much as I used to. "

"That's good, Bones. I'm thankful that you've allowed yourself to have a little joy at Christmas now."

"I used to love Christmas before mom and dad disappeared. I think Christmas wouldn't bother me that much if they hadn't lied and said they were going Christmas shopping. Russ finding our gifts and putting them under the tree without mom and dad being there didn't help. "

"He was doing what he thought was best at the time ."

"I know that now, but at the time I thought he was being cruel."

"I'd have done the same with Jared. He was 12 when I went in the Army. Pops did the Santa thing for a while after we'd out grown it. Christmas with mom and dad wasn't that good some years. The first Christmas I came home from deployment Pops let me be Santa it was fun; I was one of Jared's presents."

"That sounds nice."

"It was."

"Hank asked about leaving cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. I told him you could move one of the small patio tables and a lawn chair on the porch so he'd have somewhere to sit."

"I can do that. We should change one of our contacts in our phones to say 'Santa' and take a picture of their presents on the porch like they do with our deliveries and text it you or me. That way Hank will see that Santa really did leave their presents on the porch."

"Good idea. I'll take the photo and send it to your phone since Christmas means the most to you."

"Does that mean I can change your contact name to Mrs. Clause?"

"If you wish. I suppose Mrs. Clause could accompany Santa this year to take pictures of his deliveries because he's busier this year doing the porch deliveries."

"Cool."

B&B

Christmas Eve Booth, Brennan, Christine, and Hank baked and decorated cookies for Santa and watched Christmas movies. That afternoon Booth put a small patio table and lawn chair on the front porch. That night before bed Booth held the door open as Christine carefully carried a snowman mug of milk outside, Hank followed closely behind with a plate of cookies.

"Daddy, I hope the Milk doesn't freeze…"

"It shouldn't, Santa will have cold milk with his cookies, instead of room temperature milk this year."

"Oh."

"Daddy, I forgot the carrots!"

"Mommy, has them right behind you." Hank put the plate on the table and turned to get the carrots from Brennan. "Thank you, mommy."

"You're welcome, buddy."

Okay, now that the milk and cookies are on the table let's go inside and I'll read Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer."

"Yea! Can we have a cookie?"

"One."

"Okay."

A few hours later Booth put all the kids presents on the porch and Brennan took a picture while Booth ate the milk and cookies. Then he hauled the presents inside and put them under the tree.

At 5:30 the next morning Christine and Hank barged into Booth and Brennan's bedroom. "Mommy, daddy! Can we go see what Santa brought?" Booth rolled over and pulled Hank onto the bed while Christine climbed up between him and Brennan.

"Yes, Yes. But first I want to show you two something." Booth picked up his phone and showed Christine and Hank the text from Mrs. Claus

Seeley,

Christine and Hank's presents are on your porch. Santa says to tell them thank you for leaving the milk and cookies and lawn chair on the porch. Merry Christmas!

Love

Santa and Mrs. Claus

"Santa knows your phone number daddy?"

"Yes, Santa knows EVERYTHING!"

"Cool."

"Yeah, I brought your presents in when I got the text

"Can we go now?"

"Go wait in the kitchen for me and mommy."

"Okay." Christine and Hank scrambled off the bed and ran into the hall.

Booth pulled Brennan close and kissed her cheek, "Merry Christmas, Bones.'

"Merry Christmas, Booth."

"Daddy, mommy, hurry up!"