chelsea headingYou are probably aware that Christmas is a very special part of the year for most of us USA type people. We either revel in the “Christmas Spirit” or become an Ebenezer Scrooge and “Bah! Humbug!” most everything. Personally, I like most everything about Christmas. I know why the middle of the winter was chosen but I wish those ancient people had thought this through a bit more.
This has been a particularly good winter as the “so-called” global warming has kept us from having any freezing weather. I am philosophically opposed to freezing weather as I do not believe that humans should live like polar bears. But, I suppose, if global warming continues, polar bears will live more like humans. Oh, well. That is not today’s topic.
For the past eight or nine years i have been Santa for the local Salvation Army where I also sort, etc the books. It is an uncomfortable job and is sometimes slightly boring just sitting there - waiting and waiting. But then! Small kids come in and their eyes light up and they get excited and they get almost frightened and they want to come over but are slightly afraid. That is when the salesman in me has to take over.
Then I get them in the chair beside me and we talk and I put their name in the “Good Book” as I want them to know they are good. That part is sometimes amazing. Just being a figure of their imagination and telling them how good they are seems to change their whole being. Kids, especially little kids, need to hear that they are good. Their little brains will figure out the philosophical implications of that. You say it, they’ll live up to it.
But just sitting near the main doorway and watching people come in is a treat. The real treat is when they step in and start looking around with that blank stare and then the mannequin Santa says, “Merry Christmas.” 99% of the people will smile, most respond back with a “Merry Christmas to you.” Either way, almost everyone brightens up when Santa speaks to them and reminds them that it is Christmas time.
But talking to the children makes my whole day/month worthwhile. Those children who believe in Santa and think they are communicating directly to this North Pole visitor are very special little people.
They are so full of JOY that even Scrooge would be touched. Wellsir, maybe not the Scrooge I know but if he had been here before I became Santa I doubt he would have allowed it. But it is Christmas time so I will give even him a pass.
This is the time of year when we guys of many years look back and see that way back when everything was perfect. There was almost no crime, people were friendlier, cars were driven only by polite drivers and children always had nearly perfect behavior. It has always been thus. Even some of the world’s best (allegedly) philosophers have quotes about how things “today” are being ruined by people not acting as they did whenever “he” was a youth. Not so, buddy-o. People are people and only our ability to act in more technologically aberrant manner has changed. We now have the ability to commit offenses that past generations only wished they could have.
Yessir, while it is true that many people try to be a little nicer and a little more friendly toward others, this feeling does not carry over from December to July. My feeling is we USA people should start advertising the 4th of July spirit and come up with a “Merry Christmas” phrase to use in the summer. Think how great it would be if we had two seasons where people were actually friendly and caring.
Think how some customs have changed. Almost everybody I knew back in my young days received clothes for Christmas. Some did get toys and ghee-gaws but usually not much. I can remember being very excited because, “Hey, Robbie got a bike. He did, he got a bike for Christmas.” Once, someone I knew even got a train which was like being named King of the World. In the past I told the story of getting a pearl handled pistol.
That was a Christmas to remember - which I obviously do. Now my little sister always got everything she wanted. Well, it seemed that way because I never did get a motor bike or a super sled. Hmmm, maybe my requests were not the most practical in the world but it would have been great to have them. And just think, I could have probably used that sled about one time for nearly thirty minutes in Oklahoma.
But I sincerely hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas season and I also wish for you to have a great New Year all year!