Friday Was Exceptional.

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My weeks between November 15th and December 26th often become a blur of activity, sleep deprivation, and lots of miles on the road. By sheer happenstance, I lucked out and enjoyed a rare day off, no Santa performance at Midtown Global Market until dinner-time. No work at the day job either.

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To make the most of it, I headed off and ate an enormous plate of eggs, sausage, hollandaise sauce, toast, etc., at T&T Galley in South Saint Paul, Mn. The place is one of the best little diners you will ever experience. I love going there, I love the food, and it got me fired up for the rest of the day.

Sam’s Club beckoned next, there was a gigantic block of soap bars with my name on it. And gas. And cherries. What can’t you find at Sam’s?

The answer is custom Christmas cookies. My friends at P.J. Murphy’s bakery do the best job I’ve ever seen. I escaped with only a dozen or two to add to my waist.

http://pjmurphybakery.com/

Best cookies around!

Having rounded up victuals, fed myself, and annoyed many motorists in multiple parking lots, I headed home to watch some videos and get ready for the world of children and photos.

First up tonight was a little boy from Haiti. His mom and I sat and talked about our missions there, and then did something that overjoyed me: we prayed for Haiti, the children, and the turmoil in the country. There was an instant bond with the woman and her child. God filled my heart and allowed me that connection that others may not have felt.

At that point, we were off to the races. I tried something new: I thanked everyone for making me a part of their Christmas. It’s strange when you think about it, but I get sent shares on Facebook posts where I am in the picture and the family is including me in their world. I’ve walked into homes where I am on the wall but have never met the people before: a Christmas card on a refrigerator, grandchildren, friends, it’s amazing. I do appreciate the fact that I’m allowed to cuddle infants, have dad’s and mom’s sit on my knee, and be part of a family tradition. Many people on Friday had been there to visit me several times over the last few years, others were just starting the journey of growing children. All honored me by allowing me a spot in the photograph.

Santa's secret elf

Santa’s secret elf

One especially gracious friend brought toys for me to give out to some children in need this week. Three trash bags full of top-shelf stuff. I am so blessed to have elves like this one: a heart of gold.

Not only do I get to be in lots of pictures, but I meet neat people. One of them is Shelly Boyum-Breen who has written an excellent series of books about Shelly Bean the Sports Queen. These books are for children, and revolve on the theme of girls being sports stars. Well illustrated, nice message, well written, she was fun to talk to while we waited for our various customers. Turns out we have friends in common as well. It’s a pretty small world when you really think about it.

Shelly Boyum-Breen

Shelly Boyum-Breen

Santa occasionally sings as well, and Friday was one of those times: nobody died as a result. That is largely due to the charming people from the Roe Family Singers. I’ve had the joy of sharing the venue with them before, and I heartily endorse their musical stylings as well as their family-friendly lyrics. They can get anyone to dance and sing with them: including me. I only hope that the youtube.com videos are kind to an guy in a red pair of pants who blew out the microphone singing Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Go hit their Facebook page for a quick like, they’ll appreciate it I’m sure.

I’m rambling. That happens when your heart is full of love and joy at the exceptional gift that God has given me in being Santa. I spent three hours tonight enjoying the company of my fellow man. I spoke to children and adults of all flavors. I drank in the love and warmth that can only come from a small child’s smile. I prayed, I felt blessed. I’ll leave it at that: I am blessed.

Final Christmas Video Friday Of The Season.

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Which, obviously, means there may be more coming out after Christmas. Yeah, funny that way am I.

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First up, Johnny Cash and an eclectic group of back up singers who were apparently instructed not to show any emotion or they’d be shot and left on the stage for vultures to consume. Never have I seen such a dead group of superstars in my life. In 1977 they were all very famous. Not a one of them moved a facial muscle, except Roy Orbison – and I think he just had gas.

Next up, Johnny Cash again! (Trend alert) Singing the Little Drummer Boy this time.

It’s not a video Friday without some ABBA.. or, Bjorn Again. So here’s their take on Little Drummer Boy.

How about The Jersey Boys doing Little Drummer Boy?

Not to be outdone, Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band doing The Little Drummer Boy.

My favorite version is the final one today. The late Don Vogel did a great Howard Cosell impression in his day. Here’s the Little Drummer Boy as Don did it for Howard.

Have a great weekend.

I Have A Fortune.

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Well, it’s a fortune that came from a cookie. It was presented to me by a little boy today at my appearance at the Midtown Global Market. It reads: “The entire sum of existence is the magic of being needed by just one other person.” I feel very needed at this time of year: as a beacon of warmth, joy, and smiles in an austere landscape of gloom and despair.

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There is a lot to being Santa, and it’s a difficult thing for people who have never donned the Red Suit to understand. I know that I joke that it’s the last great job for balding, fat, white guys with beards, but you need to have compassion, love, perspective, and some guts to do the job. (No, not those guts, but it helps.) People have sometimes balked when I talk about the fees involved, and that’s for another time and place. But when I get the smiles and compliments on being “the real Santa” it makes it all worthwhile.

How do you evaluate yourself as a Santa? For me it’s the people who come back year after year with their children. Some come back without their children, they just like to visit and take a picture with me. Some come back to talk about their troubles. Some come for the first time because I make eye contact across the food court. Others think I’m a stuffed prop, sitting quietly in that chair. When I greet them they jump out of their skin. All of those things tell me that I’m on the right track.

Here’s a Christmas card that I was given this week. Next year there will be another picture to add. I am so proud of the fact that these people have followed me over the years and made a point to have a picture taken at least once a year. I’ve seen these little girls grow up. I truly hope that they keep coming back until they have children of their own. I hope I’m there to see that, I’ve already had my second generation come by after all these years of being Santa.

Years of being honored.

Years of being honored.

Today I spent time with people that crossed every ethnic and social divide. Bankers, homeless people, people with advanced degrees and people with terribly profound learning problems. I talked to children of all ages, including a few with silver hair. Each and every one of them was a part of my day for a few minutes. That made me rich. Rich beyond words. And I prayed over each one in my head. Every teenager, five year old, and senior citizen got some time on my personal channel with God.

I hope that love and respect came across to each of them. I certainly felt blessed to be a part of innumerable “Santa Selfies” with people who didn’t have another to snap the photo. I loved the look on some faces when I just put an arm around their frail body and talked quietly for a few minutes. I especially enjoyed the treat the young man delivered while I was on my chair. He was not quite up to my elbow, but he’d already learned that to give is as important as to receive.

Thank you, God, for blessing me with this Red Suit. It means the world to me. I hope that others see that I need them just as they need me. We’re all in this together.

Military Friends, Please Help An Old Sailor Out.

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I’m sending this appeal out to all my military friends, both active duty and prior service: send me your Christmas pictures.

I know there are a lot of you with great photos taken recently, back during Vietnam, Korea, The Gulf (both,) Afghanistan, The Philippines, assorted ships, field stations, and other hell-holes where we muddled through the holiday. Those photos hold a special place for you, and I’d like to share them with the other readers.

You can send them to photos@commotioninthepews.com.

What I desire is your photo, a description of where and when it was taken, and who the mugs are in the picture. If you can’t remember, but it’s a bunch of trolls in poopie suits and Santa hats, I’ll still take it.

I need the photos by Monday the 22nd for the piece. I know that if you reach out to your brothers and sisters we can get some good stuff.

I’ll publish the post on Christmas Eve if I get enough material.

Thanks. That is all. Return to field day duties.

It’s Half-way Night.

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In the naval tradition, the crews of warships celebrate a night that is the 1/2 way point of their deployment abroad. In the modern era this is a bit dicey, as deployments seem to go on endlessly for some ships. In my day it was a fairly precise date. Give or take a terrorist explosion in a disco.

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Today feels like half-way night for the Santa season. It’s been one of great emotion and joy. I will talk about that in Thursday’s post, for there are some special people that I want to talk about in detail, and I just don’t have the time tonight.

My reason for posting today is to remind myself, and you, that while the season is half over we could easily embrace it in our lives throughout the year. I don’t quit being Santa on December 26th. I do drop the clothes, too confusing. But the little ones recognize me throughout the year and I hand out a lot of my “you met Santa” cards in June and July. I also try to remember who Nicholas was in history, and how I am honored to portray him in this day and age.

Unlike half-way night on subs, I will not be wearing my wife’s undergarments as a hat, I will not enter a pie eating contest (danged thing was 1/2 frozen – something to do with half-way night I suppose,) I will not don an EAB (Emergency Apparatus, Breathing) and run from air outlet to air outlet, nor will I get sentimental about my lonely backside. I was never there for the full cruise so that part was a bit of a disconnect for me when I encountered the festivities.

Instead I will pray. I will pray for the children and adults I have seen already, and pray for those yet to come. I will savor the joy that the families and children bring to me with their smiles and laughter. I will honor my God and do right by others as Nicholas would.

Most of all, I will endeavor to be the best Santa that I can be in the remaining ten days. This I can do. Illness, slick roads, and any other commotion aside, I will be there to provide merriment if it’s within my power.

See you soon. Remember: that elf on the shelf works for NSA so put a Faraday cage around his little butt and cut him off.