Christmas is all around me

I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes…

This past weekend I had the opportunity to don the holly jolly mantle not once, but THREE times. First, I played Santa in the 21st Holiday English Fair with some of my students. We worked hard putting together a Christmas musical extravaganza entitled “Love Story at Holy Night” that included Bible verses, a tricky love triangle plot, dance routines, and a Mariah Carey finale. Honestly, it was pretty freakin’ awesome.

Later that night, I went from Santa to reindeer as I became one of The Eight in a production of “The Reindeer Monologues”. I played Cupid and along with some other ALTs we entertain the Oita community with a story of corruption in the North Pole.

Finally, on Sunday I took on the guise of Saint Nick again to amuse, inspire, and freak out kids at the orphanage. The older kids took off shortly after my appearance, but the little ones stuck around to continuously question my true identity. The fact that my Santa pants lack any kind of waistband and as a result the cushion stuffed under the outfit kept falling out made it hard to convince them that I was indeed Santa Claus. They also pointed out my socks and jeans poking out the bottom and that my beard was fake. These kids were relentless! They just kept questioning me and pulling on me and then when they tired of that, they started kanchoing me! Later, when I changed back into my civilian clothes, I had a little boy about 7 years old come up to me and shout, “You’re that stupid Santa!” and then he punched me with all his little kid might right in the crotch.

Anyway, Happy Holidays.