Grow Your Own--or just FAKE IT!

Over the last 30 plus years of donning the cap and bells, I've tried (Rather unsuccessfully) to grow my own Santa Wig and Whiskers. At one job, the boss passed me a hint in a staff meeting accompanied with gentle laughter from my co-workers that he couldn't figure out whether I was doing an impression of a homeless person or Otis, the town drunk who would lock himself in Andy Taylor's Mayberry town jail for the weekend on the Andy Griffith show.

As you can see, I've made a lot of progress -- and in retirement, with no boss to make gentle fun--I'm prospering.

I was once cast as Wilford Woodruff at the LDS Church Conference Center Theater less for my acting skills than for my willingness to have a beard.

I was in the local IKEA parking lot when a guy down from Idaho shouted a big HO Ho ho across the parking lot. He was way too thin to have played the role with enough JOLLY--but he had a closely trimmed white beard...and we had a good laugh together. I think it was the whiskers and my red parachute pants. As we were Clausing it up on one side of the row, on the other a tired toddler perked up--saw me and put the beard and pants together and got a vision of presents to come. "Look, mommy! It's Him!!!" My Santa buddy had just finished giving me his e-mail (I always collect those precious addresses one by one where ever I go with little notes alongside)

My radar is always up for parking lot encounters....and I waddled over for a pre-christmas visit.

Friends who have played the old elf once in a while always are amazed at what happens to them when the genuine belief washes over them in near tangible waves of Love! It happened this hot July week day--as we almost shook hands (You can't really shake hands with the Spirit of Christmas, y'know!) and I ripped a little page out of my mobile journal and drew my signature Santa Caricature in green ink!

"Now, you know, Ryan" I concluded, "if you treasure my picture and put it under your pillow-- when you go to bed early on Christmas Eve--the next morning you can expect a Big Surprise!" I glanced at the enchanted mom to see if she got it. Oh, she did! And I turned on my heel, waving and hurried back to where Gramma Rosie was waiting in our hot car! She is so patient.

What works for you, "On the road?" Share with all of us who read this posting, in the blank below! JWH