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Scrooges and Christmas - Both Alive And Well In AmericaThe first time I played Santa Clause was at a TG&Y store. I had reservations about it, but, ... by the end of the first day my attitude made a 180 degree change. Christmas isn't about adults; it's about kids.
"Look Mommy, Santy Clause."
"That's where we are going. Do you want your picture with Santa?"
Not all the kids were that "excited" about getting a picture. So, it took a lot of work getting the best picture we could. A wiggly teddy-bear. A rattle. Momma making faces. But we'd get a picture. But it wasn't only kids. Adults too.
Women loved their pictures taken with Santa. They would give Santa a big neck hug and walk away with a Polaroid which would go on the mantle. But it wasn't only women and children who "kissed up to Santa."
"Do you take pictures with dogs?"
"Does Santa have reign deer? Does Santa live at the North Pole? Does Santa bring gifts. Of course, Santa takes pictures with pets. Santa loves pets, after all, I have my reign deer hidden behind the store."
Soon the lady would show up with her Dachshund, and we would get a great picture. Did Santa get wet? You bet. Some of Santa's favorite friends have not been potty trained yet. Santa was paid in cash, which wasn't much, but just seeing the eyes of the kids was worth the effort.
Santa brought his old guitar which strings were a half inch above the frets, and calloused fingers were mandated. If we had a lot of kiddos in line, Santa changed the routine.
"Okay, Santa will be doing pictures in a bit, but right now, Santa wants to hear you sing some songs." Rudolph The Red Nose Reign Deer and Jingle Bells, found the kids singing along. Then Santa would sing "Frosty The Snow Man," where the children had to shout, "Stop" and sing "Thumpity, thump, thump." Because, you see, Christmas isn't for adults, ... it's for kids.
This wise guy old man shows up. Mr. Smarty asks with snarly laugh, "So a Santa that plays a guitar. What a laugh?"
I pick up the guitar and sing "Scotch and Soda," and the man is no longer laughing. This Santa really does play the guitar. "Do you want to hear a little Blues? Or how about "An Empty Mansion? A Christmas song? Say, ... Rudolph or Frosty?" The man turns silently and walks a way. A scrooge that didn't get his laugh. If I had brought one of my harmonicas, I would of slammed him against the wall and watch as he tumbled down to the floor.
Public Schools celebrate 2 Holidays, and one of them is not Christmas. Christmas was celebrated in the old days, but now, ... NOT. Most of our kids' parents can't afford 5 dollars for a gifts. Believe it. The money has been spent on beer or booze, or on their own meager Christmas. And besides, the last day of school before Christmas is a clean-up the room time and push all the desks to one side of the room. You see, Christmas break for the janitorial staff is a time that all floors are waxed and polished.
Some one once said, "If there was no Christmas, it would have to be invented." It is the stores' profit time. If you don't like Christmas, simply don't go out to shopping centers the day after Thanksgiving, and spend all of December shopping in grocery stores. If you feel like you have been infected with "The Scrooge Syndrome," there are things you can do, to overcome it. Read your newspaper and look for advertisements about Christmas programs at any small church.
Don't go for the big churches with 14,000 members. They have made Christmas a big part of their budget. A 60 foot tree, decorated with real live choir members, ready to sing on cue. They may have full orchestras and a real-life Jesus, who looks like the Jesus you see portrayed in every picture found on the wall of churches. I've never been to one of those "Ted Haggard" churches. I don't buy into the huge churches "thronged full" of yuppies looking for a Spiritual high from choreographed activity and songs. It is in the small churches where you will find the real Christmas programs. It just so happened that last night, our church had their program, ... a children's program.
The church will manage about 250 people. 200 of them showed up to see the 3 and 4 year olds get up and sing "Rudolph The Red nose Reign Deer, Happy Birth Day Jesus, Hokey Pokey, ... ." Then the youth choirs' time to sing. And guess who was the star? Yep, my 8 year old granddaughter.
Iris loves to sing and takes it seriously. She doesn't like singing beside kids who sing off-key. Our granddaughter is a gifted singer, and she knows it; and so does her teacher. The final song was "O Holy Night," ... anything but a children's song, but Iris handled it with aplomb. The kids behind her joined in on the parts they could remember. And Iris is a product of a multi-family deal that happened. My son and his wife claim her as theirs, but her real momma isn't with her daddy, so she has one momma and a momma Jill. And her daddy takes part in all aspects of her life including child support. No dead beat daddy, here. And her 2nd momma is bananas over her, too.
So, ... if you want to be a Scrooge at Christmas, that's fine with me. Scrooges don't have grandchildren. But a Scrooge has neighbors and can simply go and watch their grandchildren. Don't worry, the collection plate won't be passed, nor will the preacher get up and have an alter call. But you will find cookies and punch in the activity room, where Santa will show up for pictures.
If you still don't believe, then go to my blog and see how important Santa is in other countries.
So..., what should I do. WanSu loves to fish! A temporary license and fish at Ft. Cobb. Lake?? He loves fishing.
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