I always loved Christmas as a kid. My mom was the same, but my dad, well, there was a reason his nickname was Grinch.

Dad despised Christmas. I never found out why. He didn't like to talk about it,

but one year when I was 11, Dad tried to like Christmas, just to make mom happy.

That was the last year I saw either of them. It started at the town's Christmas parade on the

night we got the first snow of the year. I was bundled up tight in a sweater, scarf,

and cap, and coat. Mom was wearing her funny holiday hat. The one with small felt antlers.

Dad looked miserable standing with us on the sidewalk, as the snow came down,

and all of the floats drove by filled with smiling people. Even when I was 11,

I knew my dad wasn't an impressive guy. Short and skinny, my father was a timid man,

usually spending his time either at the office or in his workshop building furniture.

He was a talented man when he came to making chairs and cabinets, but defaulted to irritability

anxious when he came to people. It was nice that he came to the parade that year. I knew he and

mom were fighting a lot at night, so I was glad to see them standing side by side as the parade

passed us by. Dad even wore a red and green scarf. He was doing his best to be festive for mom and

I. It just didn't come naturally to him. Now our neighbor, Mr. Williams, there was a man who loved

Christmas. We saw him that night in the parade. Every year, he dressed up his Santa Claus and

rode in the main float that was shaped like a giant red sleigh. Even in his Santa suit and fake

beard, Mr. Williams didn't make a convincing St. Nicholas. He was too tall and far too muscular,

but all of us neighborhood kids appreciated his passion for the holiday, so we forgave him for

being too fit to be a good Santa. Mr. Williams waved and threw candy canes to the kids as his float

rumbled down the parade route. When he passed my family, he threw extra candy. He even winked at us.

Me and my mom waved so hard, it's a miracle nobody dislocated a shoulder. My dad just frowned

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