4th January 1998

'My life as Santa'

By Chamintha Thilakarathna

Ho! Ho! Ho! In rolled Santa to one of Co lombo's popular clothes shops in his bright red suit, black boots, and snow white beard. Ringing the bell in his hand and carrying a bagful of gifts for the children, he looked a picture book Santa indeed, almost exactly what the children had imagined. And they clustered around him, faces shining with anticipation as he fished in his bag for sweets and other goodies.

As kids, to many of us Santa was that fairy tale figure whom we awaited with great eagerness on Christmas Eve. "Are you from the North Pole?, Are you the real Santa? Where is Mrs. Santa?" are all questions that children have been known to ask. But more than all this, we all wanted to pull Santa Claus's beard to see if it was real. It's good to know, that things have not changed. Kids are quite good at embarrassing Santas at parties and shopping malls. And with Christmas safely past, here are some interesting revelations of one Santa who has been playing the man in the red suit at kiddies parties and shopping complexes for about eight years now.

'Jumbo' as he is better known, for his sportsmanship and what his friends call excess energy, found himself acting Santa at a Christmas party in office in 1989. Since then, at carols, and this Christmas past at Odel he was at it again.

Six foot and three inches, what made him do it the first time? "Well, I am the kind of person who would take any challenge with a smile," he said. With that approach, his Santa life began.

It is not as easy as it sounds. The first day was terrible. Nothing I imagined. About two to three hours dressed in heavy clothes and boots with the white beard and hair added, not to mention the number of hours earlier that one has to get dressed. Although I love children, it was tough. The children came up with the most unexpected questions and reactions he said.

"As a kid, I remember my parents telling me that Santa Claus had many representatives spread around the globe who distribute gifts on his behalf. But still, I always wondered why Santa's come in all shapes, sizes and colours, though wearing similar outfits. But what I most desired was to walk upto him and ask if he received my letter (which I must admit was very long and specific). I thought that was the best way to find out if Santa was real, for if he did not know what was in my letter then, he was a fake. But, unfortunately, my parents always made sure that I stayed a good deal away from him, as if by instinct," Jumbo laughed.

However, nothing seems to stop kids today according to Jumbo. "They asked me all sorts of questions like if I am coming on the 24th of December and how come the other Santa they met the other day is slimmer than I, and therefore was I the real Santa ," Jumbo said.

According to him, while some children tried to pull off his beard, some even go to elaborate lengths of getting him to prove that he is not fake. And how does he handle all this? Well, one has to be quite inventive. The thing is by now I have an idea as to what questions are usually asked but sometimes, there are kids who come up with terribly unique things that I am left with say 30 minutes to cook up a story," he said. Questions such as since they do not have a chimney how does he enter? How does he travel from North Pole so fast? Why is Santa so fat? needs some creativity on the part of the acting Santa.

Jumbo feels there is a lot of child psychology involved. "Most of the time, I find children coming running to me with their Christmas gift list asking if they would get all their wishes. I tell them that they should give their lists to their parents who would get in touch with Santa."

He said that as long as the mothers do not push the kids to go speak to Santa which can get the timid ones crying usually everything goes fine. "Most of the time, I find mothers to be more excited at seeing Santa than the children."

And how do children react to their first sight of him? Watching Santa at work, more often than not they reacted very well. Sometimes they would touch him and run off. They would do this a few times, till they got used to him and then there was no escape for Santa.

"Most often they hang on me so much, that I find myself unable to walk. Sometimes, kids cry saying 'don't go Santa'. When I distribute toffees, some ask is this all you have brought for us? But, I do enjoy it," he said.

For Jumbo who was bored at home due to economic problems that his business is facing, the Santa role was rather a Christmas gift. Replying to an advertisement for a Santa Claus, he was more than thrilled to have got the opportunity.

The worst nightmare of any Santa is the clothes coming off and asked if this has ever happened to him, he smiled no.

"In the eight odd years that I have played Santa, there isn't a single time when I have regretted it. But aren't I glad that I haven't had too many embarrassing moments," he said.

Asked if he would do it again, his reply was, 'Oh Yes! Many more times if I can'.

So look out kids, this tall Santa is bound to be back.

The trouble with teens and resolutions

By a Terrible Teen

I wonder who it was who had the bright idea of New Year resolutions? Where on earth did his inspiration come from? Maybe he was carried away by the celebrations and the general feeling of goodwill that seems to prevail at this time of the year. Maybe he was hoping to reform a few errant teenagers like me.

If that was the case, looks like he did succeed. This habit of New Year resolutions has certainly become an institution, encouraged no doubt, by parents who see it as a wonderful opportunity to instill some discipline and good habits into their wayward offspring.

As far as teens are concerned New Year far outstrips Christmas in terms of celebrations. True, we do benefit somewhat in terms of presents but the dent made in our meagre savings keeps us strapped for some months to come. In short we are stone broke. But New Year, ah, that's another matter. Parties and fireworks that's more like funtime. The only hitch is those resolutions. Must New Year be spoilt by the making of those undesirable and surely unattainable resolutions?

One such list of New Year resolutions made by a fifteen-year-old last year ran like this;
I shall get up early every morning
I shall keep my room tidy
I shall not spend hours on the phone and run up huge telephone bills
I shall not be rude to my parents
I shall study hard
I shall not fight with my brother

As you can see, the list of shall's is endless and sad to say this young lady did not get very far. But you might have guessed that already

Why did she not succeed? A lack of resolution and commitment is the sad answer both common teenage flaws.

I think making resolutions that I cannot keep is a hypocritical exercise, but that argument does not hold water with my gimlet-eyed mother. New Year is not a New Year without resolutions, is it now? she shot back. Being only a hapless teen, I bowed to the inevitable and reached for pen and paper.

Resolution 1) I shall make two resolutions
Resolution 2) I shall stick to them

Continue to Mirror Magazine page 3 * Resolutions made and broken * Retinoic therapy * Lip tips for Luscious lips

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