The living room was dark except for the warm, twinkling lights of the Christmas tree that reflected off the glossy ornaments. You stood near the fireplace, adjusting the camera on its stand one last time, ensuring it was perfectly angled. Everything had to be just right. Nicholas, standing behind you in a full Santa Claus suit, complete with a fluffy white beard, tapped his boot lightly against the hardwood floor.
"Are you sure about this?" he whispered, pulling the red hat further over his dark hair. "I feel ridiculous."
You turned to him with a smirk. "You look amazing. Plus, the kids are going to lose their minds when they see the footage tomorrow morning. They'll think we actually caught Santa in action!"
Nicholas sighed dramatically but couldn't help smiling. "All right, but if this becomes a yearly thing, we're negotiating terms. This suit is itchy."
"Deal," you whispered with a laugh, leaning up to adjust the beard that was slightly askew.
The two of you had come up with this plan weeks ago, brainstorming ways to make Christmas extra magical for your four kids—Haley, who was 9; twins Ethan and Emory, who were 6; and your youngest, Jackson, who was 4 and still very much in awe of all things Santa Claus. The plan was simple: Nicholas would dress up as Santa, you'd "catch him in the act" and take a quick kiss on camera to sell the whole thing. Tomorrow morning, the kids would wake up to "proof" that Santa had really visited their home.
But things rarely went as planned.
Jackson wasn't supposed to wake up.
It was almost midnight, and the house was silent except for the faint hum of Christmas music playing from the kitchen. You and Nicholas were just about to start the staged scene when a small, sleepy voice broke the quiet.
"Santa?"
You both froze.
Standing in the doorway, his tiny body framed by the soft glow of the Christmas lights, Jackson rubbed his eyes, clutching his favorite stuffed reindeer. His face lit up with wonder as he stared at Nicholas.
"Santa!" he repeated, louder this time, a huge grin spreading across his face.
Nicholas panicked for a split second, then quickly slipped into character. He deepened his voice, giving a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, little one!"
You bit your lip to keep from laughing as Jackson's jaw dropped. "Mommy! You're talking to Santa!"
"I... uh... yes, I am!" you stammered, trying to keep up the act. "But you're not supposed to see him, Jack! Santa only comes when kids are asleep."
Jackson gasped, suddenly worried. "Oh no! I didn't mean to. I thought maybe it was a reindeer!"
Nicholas bent down to Jackson's level, patting him gently on the head. "That's all right, my boy. But you mustn't tell anyone you saw me, okay? It's a big Christmas secret."
Jackson nodded solemnly, but as Nicholas stood back up, Jackson's eyes widened again. "Wait... are you kissing my mommy?"
Nicholas had leaned in to whisper something to you, but from Jackson's perspective, it must have looked like a kiss. He let out a loud gasp, turned on his heel, and bolted down the hallway.
"Oh no," you whispered.
"What just happened?" Nicholas asked, alarmed.
"He thinks I kissed Santa."
By the time you and Nicholas reached the kids' bedroom, Jackson had already woken up Haley, Ethan, and Emory. They were all wide-eyed and sitting on the edge of the twins' bunk bed, listening as Jackson breathlessly recounted what he'd just seen.
"I swear, it was Santa! The real one! And Mommy kissed him right by the Christmas tree!"
Haley, always the logical one, crossed her arms. "Are you sure it was Santa? Maybe it was just Daddy playing a trick."
Jackson shook his head furiously. "No way! It was Santa! He said 'ho, ho, ho' and everything!"
You stepped into the room, trying to suppress a laugh. "What's going on in here? Why are you all awake?"
Emory pointed dramatically. "Jack said you kissed Santa Claus!"
Nicholas appeared behind you, still in the Santa suit, and the room erupted into chaos.
"Santa!" Ethan shouted, practically jumping off the bunk bed.
"Santa's still here!" Emory added, her voice high-pitched with excitement.
Nicholas held up his hands, trying to regain control of the situation. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's past your bedtime, kiddos. Don't you want to be asleep when I leave presents under the tree?"
"But why were you kissing our mommy?" Jackson asked, his voice full of suspicion.
You and Nicholas exchanged a glance.
"Well," Nicholas began, clearing his throat, "you see, your mommy and I had to make a deal. She caught me sneaking around the tree, and I promised I'd leave extra presents if she didn't tell anyone."
The kids stared at him, wide-eyed.
"Really?" Haley asked, her tone skeptical but intrigued.
"Really," you said, nodding. "But only if you all go back to bed right now and don't peek until morning."
The four of them huddled together, whispering furiously. After a moment, Haley stepped forward. "Okay. We'll go back to bed. But we want proof tomorrow that you were really here."
Nicholas grinned behind the beard. "Deal."
The next morning, the kids practically flew down the stairs, their excitement through the roof. The camera had done its job perfectly, capturing "Santa" putting presents under the tree and giving you a kiss on the cheek. The kids watched the footage over and over, laughing and pointing out details like the way Nicholas's beard had slipped slightly or how he tripped over Jackson's toy truck.
For the rest of the day, they couldn't stop talking about how they'd "caught" Santa Claus on camera. Nicholas, relieved that the plan had worked despite the late-night hiccup, spent the morning helping them open presents while still wearing the Santa suit.
By the time the day was over, Jackson was already telling anyone who would listen about the time his mommy kissed Santa Claus—and you had a feeling this Christmas would be one they'd never forget.
