Santaday
Off to Bolney today, for the second time this week, this time for my annual stint as Santa. Lay in bed with Lorraine hastily googling the names of Santa's reindeer, which came in handy later when I had to indulge in Santa banter.
Noticed signs outside, and that Santa charges £2.50 for the privilege of being seen. Lorraine running around as the Christmas Fair set up in the school hall, after a bit of sitting quietly in her office reading Intersectionality by Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge, I stole upstairs and changed into my gear. I only had a teeshirt and boxers on but the boots, hat trousers and jacket, belt, lined Santa cape, beard and so on were utterly sweltering. Led out by Heather the elf as in previous years, and deployed the bell to deafen people, and bellowed my ho-ho-hos and Merry Christmases in a slightly Brian Blessed style.
I always feel slightly apprehensive beforehand, as if I am about to go on stage, but enjoy talking to the children a great deal. A sizeable intake of little ones this years so there was brisk business in the Grotto. A few of the tiny ones stricken with shyness or horror at the sight of a big bloke dressed up in a Santa suit, others chatting, one or two expressing doubt over my realness because I was wearing a watch This is easily refutable. Swatted aside old chestnuts such as how do you get to visit everyone in the wold world on Christmas Eve? Answer: with great difficulty. One boy told me they would be eating curry on Christmas day.
After this was done, led by heather and another elf back to Lorraine's office, where I took off my Santa stuff. My teeshirt utterly sodden. Once I had collected myself, and slipped back into Guernsey and Jeans, I simply stepped unnoticed into the School hall, where Lorraine was handing out raffle prizes to the throng of people. I mooched off to The Eight Bells, finding myself in need of a cold beer. Sat in the pub and fell into conversation with a man from Glasgow called Kit. Eventually, Lorraine was free to come over, sat chatting to Heather and one or two parents. Gangs of school kids playing on the pool table.
Drove home, and I sprang out of the car to buy us fish and chips. By now I was feeling definitely coldy and the vaguely unwell feeling of the last few days had translated into head cold. Gold sofa was exactly what was needed.
Me, already sweltering, getting changed in the bathroom.
Noticed signs outside, and that Santa charges £2.50 for the privilege of being seen. Lorraine running around as the Christmas Fair set up in the school hall, after a bit of sitting quietly in her office reading Intersectionality by Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge, I stole upstairs and changed into my gear. I only had a teeshirt and boxers on but the boots, hat trousers and jacket, belt, lined Santa cape, beard and so on were utterly sweltering. Led out by Heather the elf as in previous years, and deployed the bell to deafen people, and bellowed my ho-ho-hos and Merry Christmases in a slightly Brian Blessed style.
I always feel slightly apprehensive beforehand, as if I am about to go on stage, but enjoy talking to the children a great deal. A sizeable intake of little ones this years so there was brisk business in the Grotto. A few of the tiny ones stricken with shyness or horror at the sight of a big bloke dressed up in a Santa suit, others chatting, one or two expressing doubt over my realness because I was wearing a watch This is easily refutable. Swatted aside old chestnuts such as how do you get to visit everyone in the wold world on Christmas Eve? Answer: with great difficulty. One boy told me they would be eating curry on Christmas day.
After this was done, led by heather and another elf back to Lorraine's office, where I took off my Santa stuff. My teeshirt utterly sodden. Once I had collected myself, and slipped back into Guernsey and Jeans, I simply stepped unnoticed into the School hall, where Lorraine was handing out raffle prizes to the throng of people. I mooched off to The Eight Bells, finding myself in need of a cold beer. Sat in the pub and fell into conversation with a man from Glasgow called Kit. Eventually, Lorraine was free to come over, sat chatting to Heather and one or two parents. Gangs of school kids playing on the pool table.
Drove home, and I sprang out of the car to buy us fish and chips. By now I was feeling definitely coldy and the vaguely unwell feeling of the last few days had translated into head cold. Gold sofa was exactly what was needed.
Me, already sweltering, getting changed in the bathroom.
Comments