Is Santa lonely?
Well I was when I was conned into playing the jolly old elf.
My dear wife.
The one who said, “all the parents dress up on Halloween and go to their kid’s school”.
The one who conned me into dressing up like a giant penguin recently.
Volunteered me for a friend’s porch caroling party.
The suit was top-notch – an award winner, borrowed from an award-winning costume expert.
The kids loved this Santa – so they say.
Nine, Ten and Eleven were confused.
And now I have another previous occupation I can add to my resume!
But here’s the lonely part.
After the children all told me what they wanted…
After I (Santa) posed with every child for a family photo…
After I had waved to every passing car, jogger, and pedestrian…
I was standing out in the cold while the other adults drank hot cider and cocoa.
In adult circles, Santa is a freak.
Who ever heard of sitting down for a frosty cold one with Santa?
Or telling jokes around a bond fire with the guy in the fake white beard?
And Santa is one guy who could use the company of others.
I mean several kids expected me to know their names and even what they wanted for Christmas.
When I asked one kid what he wanted he smirked “I already told you at Macey’s!”
Then another kid, bent on vengeance, kept telling me other kid’s sins and shortcomings in hopes that I would move his enemies to my naughty list.
And being Ho Ho happy is hard work. I almost lost my voice and I felt like the village idiot Ho Ho-ing at everything everybody said.
Yes being Santa is lonely and hard work. Then everybody forgets about you for eleven months.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, but I’m glad I’m not he all the time.
