The Spirit of the Season

It is the week before Christmas and as I blogged earlier I am conflicted by the Christmas season.

Thirty years ago Christmas Eve my Sunday school students had just presented their portion of the Christmas concert. Out of nowhere my brother shows up with a Santa Claus suit. He wants me to dress and go to his sister-in-law's place.

As I was changing into the suit and after I had gotten dressed my students came by and said hi Andrew. I went and played Santa Claus that night and thus began a love/hate affair I have with the Christmas season.

I love dressing up and playing Santa Claus and bringing joy to everyone. For seven years I was Santa Claus for my company's kid's Christmas party. In latter years I have been Santa Claus at the personal care home where my partner works. From the young to the old the reactions are the same smile, awe, excitement and people trying to pull off your beard. I would also do visits for friends and their kids, siblings or parents. Everyone enjoyed a visit from Santa Claus.

On December 24, 1997 I agreed to be Santa for my friends sister who was in hospital. After work I came home and changed into my suit and set out on the drive across town. People would honk at me at traffic lights. Kids would point through car windows with big smiles on their faces.

I parked across the street from the hospital and grabbed my basket of candy canes. A transit bus had stopped at the traffic light. I crossed the street and he tooted and motioned me to the bus door. I got in the bus and said my HoHoHo's and passed out candy canes.

Five minutes later I walked in the hospital front door. As I walked to the elevator I stopped and said hi to everyone I saw. My heart was pounding and I was hoping that when the door opened it would be empty. It was.

I had four floors to compose myself. The elevator doors opened and my friend was waiting for me. We hugged and she thanked me for doing this. The room was at the far end of the hall past the nursing station. Anyone in the hallway I stopped and talked to.

Finally we reached the room. My heart was pounding and I was sweating on the inside. My friend asked if I was ready, I said lets do it and did a quick check to ready and steady myself.

I walked into the room ringing my bells saying HoHoHo and Merry Christmas greeting the 3 other people in the room. I turned around and saw Bonnie lying on the bed with tubes in her. I reached my hand out and touched her hand, at this moment a wry but pleasant smile came on her face.  Her mouth opened and she let out a snort of laughter.  A calm came over me and all that nervousness went away.   I stayed for a while, lots of pictures were taken, and I made my farewell and my friend walked me to the elevator.  While waiting for the elevator, a woman came to me and asked me to visit her husband.

I walked into a room and saw a motionless gentleman with his mouth agape.  I reached out and took his hand.  He tried to talk but no words came.  All of a sudden, a little smile came across his face.   The smile grew.

I stayed for a while and his wife hugged me as I left.  She had tears streaming down her face.  She thanked me and told me her husband had a severe stroke months ago.  She told me that today was his first smile since the strike.  I thanked her and wished her a Merry Christmas.  

I was glad the elevator was empty.  I was still numb when I stepped into the cold winter air.  I cried all the way to my car.  Tears of joy and gratitude.

I was so sincerely humbled and proud that I could positively affect someone.  This was the spirit of Christmas.  Every time I become Santa, I recall this day confident that I carry the Christmas spirit with me.