My dad had 3 strokes when I was 3.
我3歲的時候，父親中風(fēng)了3次

My mom went back to work,
我母親又重新開始工作了

but they were having trouble making ends meet.
但他們還是難以維持日常所需的開銷

It was Christmas,
圣誕節(jié)的時候

and my mom made me a doll,
我媽媽給我做了一個玩偶

my brother was getting a book from a garage sale,
我哥哥在大甩賣上淘到了一本書

and for dinner
而圣誕大餐

mom splurged for Kraft mac&cheese.
媽媽忍痛買了卡夫牌的奶酪通心粉

On Christmas eve there
在那個平安夜

was a phone call
我們忽然接到電話

telling us
告訴我們

someone was seen "lurking " around our yard,
有人看到一個陌生人在我家院子周圍“游蕩”

and it should be investigated.
這件事有待調(diào)查

On the porch
在門廊上

we found a basket
我們找到了一個籃子

with ham, green beans,
里面有火腿，青豆

corn, potatoes, yams,
玉米，土豆，山藥

pumpkin pie, and apple pie
還有南瓜派和蘋果派

for dinner.
真是一頓大餐

There were eggs, biscuits,
還有雞蛋，餅干

milk, and bacon for breakfast too!
牛奶和培根，連早餐也有了！

In a small red bag
在一個小小的紅色袋子里

there were gifts
放著許多的禮物

for my brother, mom, dad, and myself.
給我哥哥，媽媽，爸爸，還有我自己

Leading up to the porch
從門口一直道門廊

there were boot prints,
一路上有靴子的腳印

and "sleigh " marks in the snow.
雪地里還有“雪橇”的印記

This was 37 years ago,
這是37年前的事

and I remember this
我一直記得

as my best Christmas
把它當(dāng)做最棒的圣誕節(jié)

because we saw that
因為我們一家人親眼見證了

Santa came to see us.
圣誕老人的拜訪

We had the physical evidence
我們找到了確鑿的證據(jù)

from the boots, sleigh,
靴子的足跡，雪橇的痕跡

and were told that
還曾有人告訴我們

Santa might not have our new address.
圣誕老人或許沒有我們的新地址

To this day
直到今天

my mom still has no idea
我媽媽還是不知道

how santa found us that year.
那一年圣誕老人是如何找到我們的

She still doesn't know
她仍不知道

who was the literal saint
那個圣誕老人究竟是什么人

who gave us gifts,
會送給我們禮物

but also kept alive the the magic of the season for her children.
而且還為她的孩子們更加確信了圣誕節(jié)的魔力

So
所以

to our special Santa
我們特別的圣誕老人

(whoever you were)
無論你是誰

thank you!!!
謝謝你！

Yes I teared up writing this.
沒錯，我寫這篇文章的時候熱淚盈眶