December 18, 2006

I Miss Santa

This weekend I had to tell KC's nephew that the elves where watching him in order for him to come happily to dinner with the family. I love that kids are so easily persuaded by the idea of Santa and his Elves. You can get them to do anything during December by bringing up the black, messy coal that will weigh their stocking down Christmas morning if they don't obey. I used to believe that our pointed ear, jingle- bell slippered friends sat on my roof with pen and parchment in hand ready to mark me on the naughty list at any moment. I was probably the most gullible child when it came to Christmas figures and the reality of Santa Claus.

GreedyK told me a story that convinced me of Santa Claus until I was in 7th grade. The fib started with her laying in bed, squirming around in the need to go to the bathroom, but afraid that if she got out of bed she wouldn't receive any presents from Jolly Old St. Nick. After much need to go, she decided that Santa would understand. She proceeded to tip toe across the hall and inside the bathroom. Being a curious child, she couldn't but help peaking into the living room on the way back to her room. By the tree Rudolph was standing there with his nose glowing and it seemed that Santa had left in a hurry, because he had left his green glove on the coffee table. In much shock she hurried back to her bed and pretended to sleep while her thoughts ran over her sightings. She told this tale every year.

I think this ruined me more that being ridiculed by my peers, in my belief of Santa Claus. My best friend in 4th grade told me about who Santa "really" is but I argued with her knowing that GreedyK wouldn't ever lie to me about the glove and rudolph. In becoming the defender of truth, I created production of Here Comes Santa Claus presented my none other that the "Christmas Crew". (Yes, GreedyK, Shenanagans, and Becky I am finally ready to talk). Me, Shenanagans, and my cousin Becky would each pitch in $10 dollars to buy decorations and would spend hours in rehersals for our big performance. We would have special guest appearances by Daniel and Leah, our elf friends, and it was mandatory they attended 1/2 of all rehersals. On Christmas Eve Morning we would set up the stage, with Karaoke Machine Ready for narrative purposes, green cellophane over lamps to set the mood and our large candy canes for props. Year after year I lead this tradition. Even when I finally had succom to the pressures and decided that Santa wasn't really coming to town, I would argue with my fellow cast mates about getting to read the Night Before Christmas through our karaoke mic. I said I had been ruined by this tale of Rudolph and the Green Glove. You won't understand how messed up I had been until I tell you that I remained in the "Christmas Crew" until I was a Freshman in High School. Yes 5 years of memorizing choreography, 5 years of trying to come up with a spin for the show ( such as squeeking out jingle bells on my saxophone, using the 60" Tv as a back drop of music videos, and stage entrance), and 5 years of hard work to have my brother end it all by laughing at me and saying that I was way too old to be doing this right in our number of "Silver Bells". As I stormed to my room that Christmas Eve in tears I realized that I wouldn't be counting down the 12 days of christmas in actions anymore, and that even more than that I missed Santa Claus.

I passed on the story of Rudolph and the Green Glove to KC's nephew this weekend. I saw his eyes light up and questions start to roll about whether his nose was or wasn't glowing and how he got in the room. I knew that I wasn't just telling a story. I was telling him to stay a child for as long as he can. And even if he is still getting made fun of at age 22 by his fellow cast mates for being a child until a freshman of high school. He won't regret deep down inside how great it was to have fun believing longer than them.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:03:00 AM

    oh, man. it's so great you wrote this down. christmas crew is in effect!

    ReplyDelete
  2. And how do you feel being the one that ended it?

    And I am not joking Silver Bells was really the song we were singing when you said those horrible words. I remember it vividly.

    ReplyDelete

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