Tommy sat down on the sofa in the corner with pencil and paper in hand. He didn't want anyone to read his lines because he had decided to express everything he had inside him in that letter.

His children Mimi and Mat, 5 and 10 years old, had asked him one more year to join the family Christmas tradition of writing a letter to Santa, but this time he had to write, not like last year when he only sent a blank sheet of paper.

He started with the classic phrase Dear Santa, but his hand was shaking and a pouting grimace trying to hold back the tears attacked him and he had to get up quickly to the kitchen so that his children would not see him crying.

-*Where are you going daddy?" said the adorable Mimi as she put colors and glitter on her card.

-*For a cup of coffee my love, I'll be right back," said Tommy, straining to make his voice sound normal and mask the crying.

He sighed as the machine brewed the dark, frothy coffee, just the way he likes it. How sad the mood felt, even though the children enjoyed the season so much, he was at a crossroads. Hate or enjoy Christmas?

He poured himself a cup, the monochromatic one he had received years ago at the Christmas the family spent in the mountains. Stealthily he went to the highest cabinet in the kitchen, the one that only he could reach, and took out a half-full bottle of whiskey, poured it into his coffee until the cup was full, thinking that this was the perfect combination to draw strength to continue the family tradition.

He returned to his couch and finally began the letter.

Dear Santa:

It's been a while since I last wrote to you. I still don't know why you forgot me if I was always your faithful friend.

How many times did I face the whole classroom telling them if you are real? How many times did I end up with my face inside the toilet of the girls' bathroom? All for defending you.

When I became a teenager, that Christmas I met the sweetest, smartest, most beautiful girl in the world. I'm sure it was with your magic that you brought her right on Christmas.

Over the years we got married and on our first Christmas, Mat arrived, the sweetest little boy life could give us. Once again I felt blessed by Santa's magic that never leaves me.

While Mat was growing up, every year I made sure he wrote you a letter and got what he wanted. To give you a hand. Over the years Mimi arrived and the joy in our home was immeasurable.

Until it all went dark 3 years ago, on that terrible Christmas. My wife, the light of my life, after struggling all year with an incurable disease, closed her eyes never to wake up again. My pleas were worthless, nor the letters we wrote to you Santa. All was lost. She left us and with her went my joy and my illusion of living.

For the record, I write this because the children asked me to. But the truth is that I am very lonely. My friends are busy doing their own thing and no one has asked me how I feel with all this burden of taking care of the children without sitting and crying in a corner or where I get the strength to come home in the evening after an exhausting day at work, to help the children with homework and prepare dinner for them.

All of this is very heavy on my shoulders. So, if you want to stop by for a chat, come over tonight and help me wrap the presents.

Posdata: Bring a bottle of whiskey and I'll get the coffee.

Your forgotten friend Tom.

Tommy tucked the folded letter into the envelope, while Mimi picked them up to take them to the mailbox.

The day flew by between cookies, visits from friends and Christmas dinner. The children went to bed early to wake up on Christmas morning to open presents, every child's dream.

Tommy tucked Mimi in and kissed Mat goodnight. He closed the bedroom door and went down to the kitchen to start wrapping presents.

When he walked in, the aroma of coffee surprised him. He didn't remember turning on the coffee pot. When he looked at the counter there were 2 glasses poured with coffee and whiskey.

Tommy greeted his old friend and they sat and talked as they wrapped the children's toys and clothes.

They talked for hours, about life, about death, about Tommy's dreams and Santa told him that he should never lose the illusion of living, he now had 2 beautiful reasons to fight for and he should continue to stand firm facing each day.

I didn't abandon you son, you just grew up. And now you are an adult facing life- Santa said with his hoarse voice and ended with a ho ho ho!

Tommy began to cry and Santa told him that he couldn't imagine how much his co-workers admired him, that even Jorge, the accounting clerk, had started a prayer in church the other day that the burden of responsibility would not be so heavy on the shoulders of that widowed father in the office.

The man was surprised to hear this, for he thought no one cared how he felt.

-You are very brave to take on all this alone and to make your children smile and continue to live happily after the loss of their mother, said Santa as he put his hand on Tommy's shoulder.

The screams of the children woke up the father who was asleep under the Christmas tree among the presents.

-This one is for you daddy- Mimi said as she handed Tommy a box of chocolates filled with whiskey and coffee and a note that read:

You're doing good boy. Sincerely: Santa