Dichotomous things often attract us the most. Maybe that’s why we stare so puzzled as kids cry on Santa’s lap. Perhaps that is why the title When Santa Made Me Cry draws one’s attention so quickly to this collection of short narratives by Hollie Dayes. However, the potency of these stories goes far beyond the humorous pathos of watching some child squirm away from Mr. Good. Also, the purpose of the implicit dichotomy is to juxtapose the eternal plight of the human being: How can a benevolent God allow such evil to plague the world? In this case, the question is asked on the most personal of levels at the most provocative of times - Christmas. Also, the pathos is genuine. While this makes for some uncomfortable reading, the emotional resonance is deepened, and the reader’s appreciation is heightened.
There is more that makes this book unique than simply the incongruence of tragedy and Christmas. Preceding and following each snippet of a chapter - and believe me, they are snippet stories - the author leads the reader into three steps of meditation. The process is subtle. An appropriate quotation introduces each story. The snippet story provides an emotional moment of stasis from which to ponder higher meanings, e.g., a newborn dies on Christmas Eve. Post-story, the author offers a single sentence to make a living point, followed by a summarizing context: In A Nutshell. This unique approach engages readers while making them internalize the story’s significance and higher meaning. Effective and profound.
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