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by John » Thu Dec 31, 2020 05:41 pm
That picture was from an odd perspective, so it's hard to get a sense of the scale of it all. That lava lamp back on the right is actually one of those giant lamps, though it doesn't look like it, and the television doesn't look all that big, but it's a 70 inch monster.
Just as my Mom made those Florida trips and Christmases special memories for me, I think they'll be special memories for the grandkids too, and maybe pass that down to yet another generation. I hope so. I never had kids, so as Cheri puts it, I skipped over the hard part and went straight to grandkids.
I was pretty lucky to find a really nice Santa suit. I figure it's more effective if I dress up the last 2 hours of the night, than to be dressed up all night, so I spend my second break getting the suit on. It can be surprisingly difficult. I put the pants on over my pants, change into these big rubber boots, and have to take my shirt off to put on the coat. Once the suit is on, I can't get to my pockets so I have to remember to keep anything out I might need, like guitar picks or keys. It's also a little difficult finding a place to do it secretly. I usually have to do it outside, where it's always freezing cold, and made all the worse because I have to take my shirt off and put on that cold coat. Inside, it's usually pretty warm, usually too warm to wear the hat very long. The reaction is always a lot of fun. The ladies often want to sit on my lap and everyone wants pictures of us together. The most common request for Christmas...a boyfriend.
I don't know how many years I'll keep wearing the official Santa uniform, but I'll always be Santa Claus, as long as humanly possible. John