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I hesitantly shook it, still half-convinced I must be dreaming. “Um, I’m Noelle. Noelle Winters.”
“A pleasure, Miss Winters! Sorry again for the unannounced visit.”
I stared up at him, mind whirring. “Wait...did you say your name is Xanther Claus? As in Santa Claus?”
His blue eyes twinkled merrily. “Guilty as charged! I must admit, you weren’t supposed to see me. We usually glide by undetected on Christmas Eve. But I’m afraid I don’t have time to properly explain. The children are waiting, you know.”
He turned back toward the sleigh, and I saw now that his buckled red pants were tucked into shiny black boots trimmed with white fur. The famous red coat stretched taut across his broad shoulders.
As he reached for the roof edge, the motion pulled the coat back enough to reveal a wide leather belt and...were those guns holstered at his hips? Definitely not the Santa physique I remembered from the mall.
Xanther hauled himself onto the roof with ease and strode toward the front of the sleigh. The reindeer tossed their heads, jingling the bells on their harnesses as vapors rose from their nostrils into the cold night air.
My mind was bursting with questions. How was this possible? Was I really talking to Santa - the actual, real-life Santa? And why did he look like an attractive, muscle-bound Arnold Schwarzenegger type instead of the plump grandfather figure I’d always pictured?
“Wait, please!” I called out frantically as Xanther grasped the sleigh reins.
He paused and turned back with a look of polite bemusement.
“I’m sorry, I just...I have so many questions,” I stammered, my words tumbling out rapidly. “I can’t just let you leave without understanding how this is possible. Are you really Santa Claus? Why do you look so different from what I expected? How does your sleigh fly? Is that really Donner and Blitzen?”
Xanther held up a black-gloved hand, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Easy there, Miss Winters. I know this must be quite a shock.” His voice was deep but gentle. “I apologize if I gave you a fright. We mythical gift-givers aren’t supposed to be seen, you understand.”
He hopped down from the sleigh, his heavy boots sinking into the fresh blanket of snow in my front yard.
“I’m afraid I can’t linger too long on Christmas Eve; the children are waiting, after all. But I can see in your eyes that your curiosity is coming from a place of holiday spirit and wonder. So I suppose a few answers wouldn’t hurt.”
I waited eagerly as Xanther stroked his snowy beard in contemplation.
“Let’s see...yes, I am who you call Santa Claus, though that’s more of an...Earth name, shall we say. I actually come from a planet called Yule, many light years away. Once a year, I deliver toys to the children of your world to spread joy and holiday cheer.”
My jaw dropped open. An alien Santa? This was unbelievable.
Xanther continued, “As for my appearance, this-” he gestured to his broad frame “-is simply a shapeshifted form to blend in during my deliveries. On Yule, I look quite different. And my sleigh...” He turned and gave the hovering craft an affectionate pat. “Well, let’s just say your people’s technology hasn’t quite caught up yet to the propulsion systems we use.”
I blinked up at the incredible being before me. Santa Claus...was an alien. It was the most wonderfully impossible thing I’d ever heard. I had about a hundred more questions, but the amused smile on Xanther’s face told me my allotted time was up.
“I really must be going now, Miss Winters,” he said gently. “The children await, and I don’t want to delay any longer. Especially with Comet’s miscalculations putting us behind schedule already.” He shook his head ruefully.
“Of course, I understand,” I said quickly, not wanting to be responsible for disappointing any kids. “Um, if you’re lost, I think you just need to head that way.” I pointed toward the North Star visible over the trees.
Xanther followed my gesture and chuckled. “Ah, so we did overshoot the mark! Thank you, my dear. Your direction is much appreciated.”
He turned back toward the sleigh, but I couldn’t let him leave just yet. There was so much more I longed to understand.
“Wait, please!” I burst out again. Xanther paused with one foot on the ladder up to the sleigh.
“Yes, Miss Winters?” His eyes crinkled at the corners.
“I...I’m sorry, I know you have gifts to deliver. But I just can’t believe I’m really talking to Santa Claus right now. The actual Santa!” I shook my head in wonder. “Learning you’re an alien from the planet Yule delivering toys once a year...it’s just such an incredible revelation. I have so many questions racing through my mind. I don’t want to delay you, but any way you could spare just a few more minutes? I’d be forever grateful.”
I clasped my hands together pleadingly. Xanther studied me for a moment, then smiled.
“Well, I suppose a small delay is acceptable, given the circumstances.” He stepped back down from the sleigh. “What else would you like to know?”
My mind whirled. There was so much I longed to understand. But I decided to start with something simple.
“What does Santa - I mean, you - do the other 364 days of the year?”
