Sitting on Santa's lap
Yesterday while Andy and Blake stayed home not feeling quite well, I helped with the library children's party where the jolly old elf himself visited. I was actually stationed outside the room where he was sitting, doing crafts with the kids to keep them from getting antsy while they waited in line. After 2 hours and over 200 children, parents, and photos the last childlike request heard, the volunteers got to sit on Santa's lap.
I'll be honest that usually I find Santa's helpers kinda creepy, but this gentleman was pretty close to the real deal. Real white beard (maybe a touch of gray around the edges, but you don't really notice), substantial jolly congenial attitude with booming infectious laugh, along with an appropriate ratio of jelly belly that was quite obviously not a pillow.
Even with all this, I was still not going to sit on his lap. Then he turned to his assistant, and asked where his notes had gotten to. I was a little confused as I was cleaning up throughout. He had a stack of small papers that some of the kids had written. One boy was concerned Santa might get confused and not remember him, so he wrote his request down. Others are various things of the same small people thoughts. Now, I would imagine most fake santas would have deposited this in the trash. Some may even have waited until the children were gone, but done so. But this Capital S Santa, took the notes and made sure to match them up with the picture number. After so many children, I am still not sure how he was able to remember, except that we did indeed have a touch of the real magic present.
And yes Virginia I do believe in Santa Claus.
I'll be honest that usually I find Santa's helpers kinda creepy, but this gentleman was pretty close to the real deal. Real white beard (maybe a touch of gray around the edges, but you don't really notice), substantial jolly congenial attitude with booming infectious laugh, along with an appropriate ratio of jelly belly that was quite obviously not a pillow.
Even with all this, I was still not going to sit on his lap. Then he turned to his assistant, and asked where his notes had gotten to. I was a little confused as I was cleaning up throughout. He had a stack of small papers that some of the kids had written. One boy was concerned Santa might get confused and not remember him, so he wrote his request down. Others are various things of the same small people thoughts. Now, I would imagine most fake santas would have deposited this in the trash. Some may even have waited until the children were gone, but done so. But this Capital S Santa, took the notes and made sure to match them up with the picture number. After so many children, I am still not sure how he was able to remember, except that we did indeed have a touch of the real magic present.
And yes Virginia I do believe in Santa Claus.