Scoop was always Santa at the Brownlee School Christmas program when my kids were small. Everyone knew it was Scoop, because the laugh lines around the eyes of the old cowboy gave him away, even if his scuffed, pointed toed, high heeled boots didn’t.
Recently, my daughter forwarded a picture of my oldest son in his Santa gear, holding my youngest son’s two-year-old grandson on his lap. Little Jack is too young to have much of a grasp on Christmas yet but his eyes are bright with wonder at this new experience, as he gazes at Santa’s face.
Russ has been Santa for his neighborhood for years, as well as anywhere else he’s invited. The kids probably know it’s Russ; he has that long white beard and shoulder length hair all year, and the little round eyeglasses so characteristic of the jolly old elf. If they get a glimpse of his biker tattoos under a sleeve, they’ll know for sure. Santa had a knee replaced recently and the top of his cane shows in the picture, proof that it’s important to keep spreading joy even when we don’t feel it that much ourselves.
My mom never allowed any nonsense about Santa and fairies. She had been heartbroken, as a child, when she found out that Santa was a myth, and was determined not to put me in that position. Instead, she treated it as a secret between us, and made me promise not to reveal it to my friends.
Actually, I don’t remember much fuss about Santa back then. Most of the people I knew were just getting by, and no one expected much in the way of gifts. There were no Santas in stores, and decorations were mostly home-made and modest. Christmas was mostly about getting together for a festive meal with family or friends, nobody made a lot of sugary treats, just a pan of fudge or divinity or some popcorn balls. We did a Christmas program at school but Santa was present only in songs about reindeer on the housetop, or a recitation of The Night Before Christmas. Mostly, we sang carols and nobody complained if the emphasis was on the Christ Child.
The world has changed a lot in the way we observe holidays and I guess we can only tend to our own traditions and hope that Peace on Earth will somehow prevail. And Joy—let’s not forget to spread that in any manner we can. For some people, it’s putting on the suit and a ho- ho and seeing the sparkle in the eyes of children, and maybe some old folks who still believe.
Meet me here next week and meanwhile, keep an eye out for glimpses of joy and incognito Santas.