Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Suzanne Rust, curator at the moth and your host for this episode.

We're going to be doing something a little bit different for these next two stories.

And to do that, we're going to need you to hide your small children.

Don't worry, both of these stories are PG.

We're just going to be spilling some holiday secrets if you catch my drift.

I'll give you a couple of seconds to find the pause button on your smartphone or

speaker. Okay, kids out of the room, great, because this episode we're going to be talking about

Santa, with two stories that expose one of the most loving betrayals of all time.

Normally, we don't air any stories that reveal that Santa Claus doesn't exist,

just in case kids might be listening.

But on this episode, we decided to showcase stories

all about Santa and the secret behind him. The real secret Santa if you will.

First up is Jeannie Cologne with the story about how that first Santa betrayal can really sting and stay with you.

She told this at a New York City community showcase where the theme was, where the heart is.

Here's Jeannie, live with them now. the I have many fond childhood memories growing up on Hunts Point Avenue in the South Bronx.

It was a melting pot of multi-generational first-generation kids like myself of Puerto Ricania growing up in the

hood.

It was a community that was built around people from many walks of life, no judgment,

and during a period of time where the Bronx was burning.

But I didn't care.

It was my safe haven and it was the village that raised me and I loved it.

It was a time of wonder years for me of innocence, of

...