Thanksgiving marks the day when the countdown for Christmas begins. Not just for retailers with their Black Friday deals, but for Ms. Pandey’s Christmas tree lighting, and her long awaited birthday.

Daddy was pushed and shoved from his lazy turkey day state into assembling the artificial fir, which took a grand total of 10 minutes to find, 2 minutes to install, and will provide Ms. Pandey a month-long excitement.

Along with the assembling and ooh-ing and ah-ing came the realization that it would be time to write up a list for Mr. Claus. A clean white sheet was immaculately chosen, accompanied by a pink marker. Ms. Pandey was almost about to scribble on the list, when Daddy reminded her that she has to think of the present first.

Anika: Aumm.. ummmm.. hmmm..
Daddy: Anika, you don’t have to write it today. You can think about it carefully and then write it whenever you are ready. You have a whole month.
Anika: No, I want to write it today.

As we all know, Ms. Pandey has no concept of time. For all you know, a month would be over the next minute, and then what would she do?

Anika: I want a doll
Daddy: What kind Anika?
Anika: Just like taklu. [Taklu is Anika’s favorite doll].
Daddy: But you already have Taklu.
Anika: No, I don’t want another Taklu. I want a doll like Taklu.
Daddy: But you would have 2 similar dolls. That won’t be so much fun. Can you think of something else?
Anika: Aummm… Ummmm… Hmmmm…
Anika: I want an Aurora Pencil

Ms. Pandey just received an Ariel pencil as a return gift from a friend’s birthday party. She is very fond of that pencil, but unfortunately, it is not an Aurora pencil.

Daddy: Is that it?
Anika: Yes
Daddy: Ok. Let us write that down with your marker.

Daddy spells out A-u-r-o-r-a-P-e-n-c-i-l and Ms. Pandey writes it down. She then puts a nice box around it. Daddy feels incredibly humbled by the simplicity of the request.

Daddy: Anika, over the next few days, think again and you can add 2 more items to this list. Let us put a #1 against this request.

Once the number is placed and circled nicely, Ms. Anika folds the piece of paper [so Santa cannot see it easily] and places it inside the second drawer in her nightstand. This is the drawer where all the important items are secured.

Daddy: Anika, Santa only gives presents to girls who have been good throughout the year. He will come and ask us how has Anika behaved. I will say that Anika has been a very good girl.
Anika: And Mama?
Daddy: Go and tell Mama to say the same thing to Santa.

Anika giggled, probably knowing deep inside that the statement may not be entirely true.