Volume 2, Issue 1 March-May 2011 Merry Christmas from us, every day of the year WHO? T was the Night Before Christmas Al Horton explores the questions of who really may have written this famous poem. Pg. 3 SANTA AMERICA Navy Seals of the Santas Santa America is expanding services and looking for more good Santas to visit with some very special children. Pg. 12 Santa America information Pg. 18 ATLANTA 2011 East, West coasts team up for celebration More than 130 gather in Southeast for food, fun, tours and sharing. The Red Suit Roundtable brought toghether Santa organizations for betterment of all. Pg. 7 COMING NEXT ISSUE Getting ready for Christmas in July Saying thank you and farewell to mentors, friends, Santas and teachers Remember, it s not about you, it s about the children. Lou Knezevich A Sharing of Knowledge A long-time Santa looks back, and forward By Bill McKee DAMASCUS, Va. - It was 1954. I was four years old. The Geneva Accords ended the war in Vietnam, for the time being. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower christened the nation s first atomic-powered submarine, the Nautilus. Senator Joe McCarthy finally went too far in his Communist witch hunt. A team from Harvard Medical School successfully completed the first kidney transplant operation, and the US Supreme Court, in the See SHARING page 2 COURTEOUS E-MAIL CHRISTMAS MEMORIES CLASSIC CHRISTMAS Harmony Among the Chaos Advice on working with pets More Images From the Past Suggestions for e-mail which helps reduce SPAM Pg. 11 contributed photo Santa arrives in Damascus, Va., on a beautiful December day, pulled by one of his reindeer. case of Brown v. the Board of Education, ruled that segregation was unconstitutional. Damascus, Va., needed to find Santa Claus. Vernon Waters answered the call. Born Wesley Vernon Arthur Waters, Sr., 4 April, 1923, he invested 44-years bringing joy to the hearts of Glimpses from Santa s journeys during Christmas 2010; and a Santa seeks information on working with animals. Pg. 17 This story was first published in the Bristol Herald Courier. It is the story of one Santa who wore the suit for 44 years and came to know the true heart of Santa Claus. children of all ages throughout Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Vernon, as he is known, accepted, understood and still lives The Santa Clause. (1) His life was, and is, an investment in children everywhere. When he began, he and his wife, Sarah Gladys Forrester Waters, whom he lovingly calls Gladys, had two young boys. At first she did not understand why he was investing so much time in this Santa endeavor, especially with children so young at home. Soon, she began to understand, supporting him 110%, said Waters. She always helped me get dressed and made sure I was where I needed to be, and on Old and new Santa art and postcards Pg. 6, 10, 13 In addition to these full page works, other artwork is scattered thououghout the issue.
Page 2 SHARING from Page 1 time, he went on to say. However, having the two young boys at home, he had to be very careful and just appear. They will have been married for more than 60 years and have two sons, four grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. People began to ask him every year if he was going to play Santa? His answer was always the same. I told people that I don t play Santa, he said, when I am in the suit and children see me, I am Santa. If you stop and think about who you are, you realize, I ve got to be the best I can possibly be. As the official Santa for Damascus, Waters, dressed in Santa s finest regalia, entered town the first Saturday each December. He usually appeared on one of the town s fire trucks. There were a couple of years when he arrived in a sleigh pulled by real reindeer. What a treat this must have been for the entire town. He also began the tradition in Damascus of Santa coming to town contributed photo Vernon Waters pauses while helping his neighbor, Mrs. Harr, hang her Christmas decorations one recent December. every Saturday following the parade, visiting businesses, the elderly, sick and those in special need, leading into Christmas Day. For Vernon (and many other Santas) it is not just a suit he put on during the holidays. Santa permeated every aspect of his life, every day throughout the year. You can t be a part-time Santa, said Waters. When asked what Santa meant to him, he said, A child is the most innocent of anything, and they never forget their first experiences. When I saw the joy and the sparkle in the eyes of the children, I began to understand the heart of Santa Claus, said Waters. When children get excited it shows all over. They can t help it, he said. Santa should never disappoint a child, because children carry disappointment with them all their lives. And they never forget their first experiences with Santa, said Waters. When he was very young an uncle came to visit one Christmas and no one knew he was coming. He had acquired a suit from somewhere and walked in the door shortly after supper time, as Santa, said Waters. Of course, I had never imagined Santa coming when I was awake, and I was very surprised, he said. He walked straight in and grabbed me. It absolutely scared me to death, Waters said. Being Santa brought its own rewards, and sometimes even physical pain. Waters recalled one incident when a very large lady came to see Santa. She weighed at least 350 lbs., he said, and of course Santa can never refuse a request for a photo on his knee. Well, she hugged me, she told me stories, she rambled on and on, and was bound and determined I was going home with her, said Waters. About an hour later, when she finally left, my legs were numb, he said, I couldn t move my legs or even stand up. On another occasion, a very good friend of Santa s, Rev. Bill Hinton, had called and asked if Santa could possibly make it to Pulaski, Va., that coming Sunday. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life, said Waters. The children were so excited that Santa had made a very unexpected visit. The parents were so happy to see their children so happy. All of the adults began to pick up on their excitement and before I knew it, everyone was laughing, talking, having their photo made with Santa and almost literally dancing in the Spirit of Christmas, he said. I am so grateful to have been part of that experience. It was not me, but every single person there became a part of everything that was going on, Waters said. How do you explain this phenomena, I asked. Being Santa is about giving without any need or want of return, he said. It is impossible to give more than you receive, if you give it with a free heart. What I received, just by being a part of that day, goes beyond words, he said. I can t explain it, because unless you have been Santa, there are not words for it, Waters said. See SHARING pg 5
? Who really wrote T was The Nite Before Christmas Page 3 By Al Horton Those who have published this poem has been giving credit to Clement Clarke Moore for many years. The problem is that for at least fifteen years before the poem saw the light of a Troy New York day, a group of children had been listening to Major Henry Beekman Livingston Jr. read them this poem. That is almost 7 years before Clement Moore claimed to have written it. All four of the Major s children - Charles, the oldest, and his next-door-neighbor bride Eliza, second son Sidney, and third son Edwin - all remembered the readings and their pleasure in hearing the poem. The original handwritten version was destroyed in a Wisconsin fire at the home of one of his grand children. Though all the children remember it well and have told everyone they know about it, it is not very well documented. A literary detective who could trace the origin of writing styles, Mr. Don Foster, discovered that around 1806 or 1807, Major Henry Beekman Livingston Jr. was reading this poem to his children. One account goes back to 1805 when this tradition first started. Reading the styles of both men, I find it obvious that this poem is more than likely written by the Major than by Moore. The Major was fun loving, outgoing and always writing to give humor to everyone and especially children. On the other hand, Moore s writing was very sarcastic, and gloomy. Talking about bawdy women and that children do not need to play but need books so they can be educated. Reading about the views of both men was amazing. I recommend that anyone who wants to know the truth behind the poem read some of the history and background on both men. Then read both works. Major Henry Beekman Livingston Jr. passed away in 1826 leaving the way for Clement Clarke Moore to accept the role of the author of this poem. It appears that a nanny who knew the Major and privileged to his writings and readings went to work for the Moore s and brought the poem with her to the new household. Did you know that the names for the reindeer came from Major Livingston s stable? Yep, he named the reindeer after his horses. No how is that for an 1805 coincidence? Now in this delightful jingling poem there is not a touch of religion. The jolly old elf has not the slightest resemblance to a reverend saint. And there is no suggestion, except in the word Christmas, of any connection in thought or spirit with what is, excepting possibly Easter, the most sacred day in the whole Christian year. And similarly we may observe in our time many a Christmas party runs its course without any participants giving a thought to a birth in a manager from which our year is dated. So Santa Claus is strangely different from his pious namesake and also in some places and among some people estranged from the very religious occasion to which he is attached. This is one of the reasons that I claim that Santa Claus has no religion. Religion belongs to the See WHO Pg. 4
Page 4 Published first in 1822, Twas the Night Before Christmas crystallized for many what would become the widely understood depiction of Santa Claus. This particular incarnation would later become intertwined with the European Father Christmas, creating the international figure we know today. In fact, the author remained anonymous until Moore first claimed writing it. He worried that the secular nature of the poem could cause controversy for his position as a Baptist Minister. Once the popularity of the poem was assured though, Moore s name became known and he forever became famous as the man who designed a central part of our modern day Christmas. In writing this poem for his grandchildren, we assume that Livingston drew upon his knowledge of anthropology and his fascination for ancient traditions at this time of the year. In weaving some of these traditions into his tale, many took on a new significance. This is just my opinion of how he may have thought, but since there is no record, we will not know the truth of what was going through Major Livingston s mind as he wrote down this poem. There are so many Christmas traditions and concepts that find their beginning in this poem that it seems appropriate, particularly on this Christmas Eve, to pick through the verses and illustrate just how much our modern day Christmas owes WHO from Pg. 3 holiday and not the legend. This is also the reason I feel that Clement Moore (a minister in the church) did not write this poem. The modern image of Santa Claus is an amalgamation of several traditions. The figure of the Christmastime gift-giver is found in many cultures, showing up in the person of the Christkindlein (from which we get the name Kris Kringle ), which was superseded by Pere Noel in France and Pelsnickle elsewhere in Europe. But the introduction of Santa Claus into American mythology stems from Saint Nicholas himself. Now where did Santa Claus get his reindeer? There are no reindeer in Germany and probably never were, certainly not the kind that are broken to harness like horses. And oddly enough the reindeer does not appear in any of the surviving Christmas legends and customs in old Germany. The reindeer first paws the roof of American houses. But of course, he cannot be an American animal. There are reindeer in northern Scandinavia where they have been domesticated from time immemorial. Scandinavian and German legends and mythology are closely related. The old German gods come from the north and many German folk-tales are of Scandinavian origin. The reindeer of our Santa Claus certainly came from Lapland (now called Norway), and Santa is an arctic explorer, exploring the other way: Major Livingston, with true poetic contributed photo Santa Al Horton imagination, describes him as dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot not in the red flannel with which we are accustomed to seeing him clothed. Among the Germans or Dutch who came to this country there must have been a legend of a Scandinavian Santa and in Germany the reindeer inexplicably got lost. Perhaps their bones will be found in a German forest by one of the literary archaeologists who dig into such matters. But no, the bones will never be found, for the reindeer are still alive and fly over the house-tops. Although a staple Christmas story for nearly two centuries, the full significance of Major Henry Livingston s poem is often forgotten. Major Livingston was considered very learned and was called a walking encyclopedia. See WHO Pg.16
Page 5 SHARING from Pg. 2 Never having met a stranger and having seen much of life, in and out of the suit, he understands something of the imperfection of human beings. Of course you are going to make mistakes, he said, but a mistake ceases to be a mistake if you learn from it. It then becomes a stepping stone. Following Christmas 1997, he knew he might not be able to continue in his life s work as Santa. Having brought joy, laughter, love and kindness to untold numbers of children of all ages; visiting the sick and shut-in, his body would not allow him to go on. The hardest thing I have ever done in my life was to give up putting on the suit as Santa, said Waters. Hardly a day goes by that I don t think about it. I will be 88-years-old this coming April (2011) and I still believe in Santa Claus, he said. Santa Claus lives in your heart. When asked what he wanted for Christmas this year, he replied simply, Just to be here. I just want to be here to see my children, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He can sometimes be spotted, if you watch closely, as he passes by on his way to and fro traveling through Damascus, where he still lives. Though his body can sometimes slow his journey, his heart is as big as the world. And he knows the hearts of children everywhere. Believe In Christmas Bill McKee Santa@TheSantaClaus.com YOU SHOULD KNOW: Vernon s physical health is not so good, but he is as sharp as ever. He would appreciate hearing from any Santas who don t mind posting a card. He does not have email. Cards and letters are always welcome. They will reach him at: Santa Vernon Waters Box 311 Damascus, VA 24236 (1) The Santa Claus: In putting on this suit and entering the sleigh, the wearer waives any and all rights to previous identity, real or implied, and fully accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus until such time that wearer becomes unable to do so either by accident or design.
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Page 7 Red Suit Roundtable A group photo in front of the Park Tavern at Piedmont Park. By Lou Knezevich ATLANTA, Ga. - More than 120 Santa s and guests filled to capacity the Park Tavern at Piedmont Park. Springtime filled the air as all had a respite from the North Pole temperatures this winter. A delicious dinner of herb crusted prime rib and glazed tenderloin satisfied the appetite of the most discriminating Santa. Ice cream with peppermint candy combined with chocolate brownies was the desert of preference. The opening ceremony was performed by Santas Drill Team, sponsored by Santa America, formed from the Palm Tree Santas, aka Florida Sandie Clauses. They are a must see group so don t miss Phillip Morgan /Maverick Marketing and Design Santa Bob Elkin leads in Santa s Drill Team during the opening ceremony in Atlanta, Ga. them if they appear in your area. They brought laughter to all as they performed present cookies and got milk. They also preformed The Story of The Star Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance. Their presentation was so inspiring and patriotic that a number of people Phillip Morgan /Maverick Marketing and Design in attendance had a tear in their eye. Santa J.R. Arthur played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes while all stood in silence to honor our fallen friends in Red. The Rev. Rob Figley, FORBS Director from Oregon/ Washington gave an inspiring invocation which embodied peace and the love for our brothers and sisters. Santa America was represented by its founder and president, Ernest Berger. Santa America has launched a number of new programs involving children and health related issues. Volunteers are needed and Santa Bob Elkin is the contact at santa@santatb.com. Also represented was the Hudson Family Foundation who help needy children with financial support, books for reading programs and outings at the Atlanta Braves games. Tim Hudson is an outstanding pitcher with the Atlanta Braves and along with his wife are instrumental in the charitable activities. The large audience See ROUNDTABLE pg. 8
Page 8 ROUNDTABLE from pg. 7 Santa Lou Knezevich, emcee welcomed Santa Ron Robertson from Los Angeles, Ca., who is Director of the Board and president of FORBS. The Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santa s is the largest Santa social organization in the US and growing. Santa Ron explained the mission and goals of FORBS and answered questions from the audience. Santa Tom Irving, a founding member of The Direct Descendants of Santa joined Santa Ron at the podium, each joining the other as a show of Santa solidarity between organizations. Everyone shared a special treat listening to the history and the background of Elf on the Shelf by coauthor Carol Aebersold. Carol offered some insight on how the tradition was developed and continues to grow. There was laughter and lots of chuckles as she Santas, Mrs. Claus and all attendees enjoy the afternoon festivities. related some of the situations The Elf on the Shelf has been placed in. Capping off the day was a Ho, ho ho contest won by Tommy Usury from Niceville, Fla., and the fashion contest which was won by Lou and Monica Bertone from Cleveland, Ga. Congratulations to the winners. What better memory than a photograph taken in front of the Park Tavern of those in attendance. Many new friendships were made with those in attendance and the many vendors who brought their wares for Santa to see. Santa Lou Georgia s Premier Santa santalou@bellsouth.net www.santa-lou.com It s all about the Children See ROUNDTABLE pg 9 Co-author of the Elf on the Shelf shares story, insight on tradition s beginnings Carol Aebersold talks with the capacity crowd at the 2011 Red Suit Roundtable about the book she co-authored with her daughter, Chanda A. Bell. All Photos By Phillip Morgan /Maverick Marketing and Design Santa s Drill Team, representing the Palm Tree Santas.
Page 9 Santa J.R. Arthur, top left, plays the bagpipes during the event. Top right, the Fashion Show winners were Lou and Monike Bertone, first place, center; Mike and Debra Medley, second place, right; and J.R. Arthur, third place, left. Center, left, Santa Ron Robertson from Los Angeles, Ca., Director of the Board and president of FORBS, the Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santa s, talks with atendees. In the bottom left photo, Santas and Mrs. Claus enjoy selections from the chef at the Park Tavern. Photos By Phillip Morgan/Maverick Marketing and Design (unless otherwise noted)
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Page 11 Courteous e-mail Helping reduce SPAM, maintain civility and promote harmony among the chaos Recently I received a mass reply all e-mail, complaining about something over which I have and had no control. It came from someone who was complaining to the sender about being included in a mass CC forward mailing. (As was my e-mail address, just as his was.) However, by sending out a mass reply all, I saw the replyer commiting the same offense as he was complaining about to the original forwarder. (Confused yet?) I consider mass forward e-mail s with all the e-mail addresses in the CC field splattered across the internet SPAM, which I filter and check later. I also see this mass use of the CC field as contributing to the ever-increasing SPAM e-mail. Have I ever sent e-mail to several people? Absolutely. I always place all e- mail addresses in the BCC field, which hides them from public and (hopefully) spambot view, and simply send the e-mail to myself in the To field. It is a simple courtesy I think. I also consider who I am sending the mail to and pretty much know the few recipients will already have an interest in what I forward. Spambots infest the internet, harvesting every byte of information they can, including every e-mail address they can gobble up. Placing e-mail addresses in the CC field makes it easier for them to harvest a moderate to large number of valid e-mail addresses by the hundreds of thousands in the blink of an eye. I do not know how may people I have asked to remove my e-mail from their mailings. However, it doesn t take long before someone else decides that I need to see something and puts my e-mail address (along with numerous others) in the CC field. And I usually get these from someone I don t know who has harvested my e-mail address from previous such mailings. I have seen a number of such forwarded e-mails, with list after list of forwarded headers, still including numerous addresses in each sucessive forward. I received one such e-mail which literally had a couple of hundred addresses. (And yes, I counted them.) I do have some very powerful SPAM tools on my server (pair.com), along with more filtering on downloaded mail to my computer before it reaches my in box. I don t see many of them anymore, nor does much SPAM mail reach my in box. I do periodically check the SPAM caught on the server, check to make sure I am not missing something I should have received, and then delete them all. Other than the original To, (which can, and should be to yourself ), all addresses should always be in the BCC field. There are exceptions, of course. One good example is when people are working together on a mutual project. Everyone certainly need to be aware of all persons participating in the project and have access to the shared knowledge. If for no other reason than simple courtesy, place your addresses on small or large mass mailings in the BCC field. I cannot prevent SPAM, but it can help slow the bots down, and it shows you respect the privacy of your friends and associates addresses. It is what Santa would do, I believe. Bill McKee editor A note on the e-mail notifications I send out for the North Pole Oberver I use a secure mailing software feature on pair.com which is designed to send out mass mailings for newsletters, announcements and the like. These addresses cannot be harvested by spambots and I do not share the addresses, much less sell them.
Page 12 Santa America expanding, seeking special Santas Santa-America News March 2010 By Santa Bob Elkin Thanks to the support of so many of you, Santa- America reported a banner year in visiting more children in every one of our major initiatives under the new Team Management concept initiated in 2010. This month we will focus on the progress of our Military Support Programs! Our Military Support Programs led the way in accomplishments under the guidance of National Director Santa JR Jack Arthur, Lieutenant Commander, USN, Retired. Over 15 separate Santa visits were recorded at 11 of the 23 Army Garrisons contacted. Santa Jack reports all Army Garrisons receiving visits sent very favorable reports and those contacted who were not participating in 2010 are anxious to be involved with Santa-America in 2011. Santa Jack already has plans underway to not only expand to more Army Garrisons in 2011, but also to the Navy, Marines, Air Force and National Guard programs. Santa Jack s goal for 2011 is to exceed 60 Military Bases being provided with Santa-America Santa Visits! In addition, Santa Jack plans to engage Santa-America s Drill Team (aka Palm Tree Santa s Drill Team) to participate in Welcome Home The Troops ceremonies at various Military Bases during the ensuing year. Santa Jack is a proud participating member of Santas Drill Team. Santa Jack will be assisted in developing our Military Support Programs with the recent announcement that Lieutenant General Steven Whitcomb, USA, Retired, has accepted a position with Santa America as a member of the Board of Directors. If you are interested in joining our Military Support Program Initiative or would like to learn more, please contact Santa-America. Bring Love, Hope and Joy to Special Children 24/7/365 Children with Autism - Pediatric Obesity Chronic Pediatric Illnesses Children of Wounded Warriors Hospice Grief & Bereavement - Public Health Santa-America, Inc. www.santa-america.org Santa Jack Arthur (santajack@santa-america.org) Santa Bob Elkin (santabob@santa-america.org) Contact: Santa Bob Elkin National Director Santa Relations, Santa America santa@santatb.com Toy Shoppe: 727-491-0533 Sleigh: 813-230-9254
Winter Wonderland Lane Page 13
Page 14 WHO from Pg. 4 to these 56 lines. Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. of the shutters to see the outside but only through small openings with limited visibility. If you wanted to look outside, most of the time you had to muscle the shutters open. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below. (Actually, the hanging of stockings had been around for some time by this point and is linked to the original tales of Saint Nicholas.) Not surprisingly, Saint Nicholas was a very popular historical figure for his tendency for generosity to the disadvantaged. One such story tells of how he was passing through a poor village when he overheard the troubles of one family. A father had three daughters, but unable to afford a dowry to secure a suitable husband for each of them, it was becoming increasingly likely that they would be forced into prostitution. Therefore, as each girl reached the appropriate age, Saint Nicholas passed by and dropped a bag of gold through their bedroom window. Each time, the family was able to use the gold as a dowry and the girl was able to marry. One variation on the tale has it that Saint Nicholas tossed the bags of gold through the window and they landed in the girl s stocking, which had been hung out to dry. It is from this that we developed the tradition of hanging a stocking for Saint Nicholas to demonstrate his generosity. Another variation comes from Knickerbocker s stories about the history of New York where he changed the tradition of placing wooden shoes out to collect the goodies, to those of stockings hung by the fireplace. This was further embellished by Nast with his artistry. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. Sugarplums was the treat of the day. As children of today dream of candy canes, sugarplums was the treat of the earlier days. And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter s nap. Night caps and kerchiefs were worn to bed along with long night shirts. Unlike the pajamas of today. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. When the days turned cold, the shutters were brought closed. This helped to keep the wind and cold out. One could still look out It was stated by a granddaughter of several generations after the Major as she stood on the staircase gazing out the front door at the snow on the ground. This must have been exactly where Grandfather Henry got his inspiration for the poem. It is beautiful outside and the new fallen snow is bright with the full moon tonight. I would love to stand on those steps and look at the door at such a wonderful winter scene. My mind is already picturing this beautiful sight. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. This is the first ever mention of St Nick using reindeer as a mode of transport, but it was not a random choice. Firstly, Livingston was familiar with the Northern European Christmas celebrations and their Christmas gift-givers such as Father Christmas See WHO Pg.17
Page 15 WHO from Pg. 16 and Old Man Winter. He probably drew many of his inspirations from Lapland, as a suitably wintery climate, and therefore included the traditional use of a sleigh with reindeer to reflect how a mythical figure from that part of the world would travel. Also Knickerbocker wrote in his chronicles of New York that St. Nick was a Dutch creation who was small and elf-like. The Major just may have borrowed this idea. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Dunder and Blixem! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all! Some people may be surprised to see Rudolph is not included amongst Santa s roll-call of reindeer. In fact, Rudolph was a commercial creation that came about approximately a century later as part of an advertising campaign for a department store. Once the song became popular, Rudolph cemented himself as the most famous of Santa s reindeer, despite never appearing in the official line-up. The choice of eight reindeer is also significant. Actually, eight reindeer would be incredibly impractical in pulling a sleigh, but Livingston was slipping in an obscure reference to another Northern European Christmas tradition. That was Oden s horse he road had eight legs. He also had eight horses in his stable that he used (but not at the same time.) Their names happen to match the reindeer s names. Before Christ, the Norse winter festival of Yule took place at the winter Solstice and is responsible for providing many of our modern traditions. One of them, and a precursor to the idea of the Christmas Eve visitor, is that the God Odin would ride around the world at night on the festival, deciding who deserves good or bad luck for their crops for the year ahead. Bestowing prosperity or hardship on the people he visits, the Odin tradition can be seen as a possible origin for the idea of Santa drawing up a list of who has been naughty or nice. The Major was able to slip in a reference to one of the original Christmas gift-givers. As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. So why the roof? Is there any significance to this? If we return to Lapland again and Northern climates, many traditional dwellings were built into the ground, with a covering of skins and other materials to keep out the elements. This meant that the roof rose out of the ground and it was therefore possible for a visiting sleigh to arrive on your roof, although what damage that would do, I am unsure. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. The chimney is one of the more bizarre aspects of the Santa Claus myth. Why would anyone choose this method to gain entry? Again, Livingston was showing his knowledge of Lapland housing. With Lapland dwellings built low into the ground, there was only one opening in the middle of the roof that served as entry and exit, as well as the chimney for the fire. So by entering a Lapland house, you were actually bounding down the chimney. A clue to this is contained in the poem as St. Nicholas doesn t climb down the chimney, but enters with one bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. At this period in history, there was no single image of how Santa Claus looked. He was just as likely to be depicted as a wine-soaked party-goer on a sled pulled by turkeys than he was a bearded old man in a cloak, and hundreds of other variations besides. Since Major Henry Livingston Jr. so loved children, he made the likeness after what he See WHO Pg.18
Page 16 WHO from Pg. 17 thought the children might enjoy. Continuing his theme of borrowing from the Lapland tradition, Saint Nicholas is dressed as you would expect someone from that part of the world. Notably, the Major does not describe the colors of Santa s outfit, and the images inspired from this poem were free to use any colors they felt appropriate. It wasn t until Coca- Cola adopted Santa Claus for their annual Christmas advertising campaigns in the 1930s that he became commonly associated with the red and white outfit we know today, selected to reflect the Coca-Cola brand. This is yet another example of commercial advertising shaping Christmas. And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. Santa s exit up the chimney is also more interesting when put into the context of the Lapland dwelling. Although the poem implies magic has taken place in Santa rising back up the chimney, in Lapland, rising up the chimney means no more than leaving through the front door, as they are one and the same. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they twinkled, his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. Commonly, Father Christmas or Santa was depicted actually wearing a wreath about his head, made of holly or other Christmas greenery. He had a white beard and the Dutch depicted him with a long clay pipe. This could explain the smoke that encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. Although Livingston describes Saint Nicholas as a right jolly old elf, this has been taken to mean that Santa is actually a magical elf. This is most likely the origination of the idea of elves assisting Santa at Christmas Eve as well as the other-worldly nature of the big man himself, but this is definitely an extreme extrapolation from this poem. It is quite clear that the Major is not necessarily defining Santa as an elf but is likening him to one due to his jolly nature. Also, this poem does not provide any other background for its creation no North Pole refuge for example. All of these magical elements were later added by modern commercial depictions and Hollywood. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And with that, Major Henry Livingston shaped our Christmas Eve celebrations forever. Don t forget to pull down a copy of the poem to read to your children in bed tonight and when you do, reflect on how different Christmas would be if the Major hadn t decided to favor his children on this occasion with his fascination for ancient traditions and true Christmas spirit. By Kris Kringle Santa Al Horton funwithsanta@gmail.com
Page 17 Riding in the sleigh, creating a little magic making my rounds Hi! The finger and nose prints are still on my dinning room window from when the children watched you drive away. I can t bring myself to wash them off! We can t thank you enough for your wonderful visit. (From a grandmother) I received the above from one of the many home visits I made this year, one that was a very special stop for me, also. It was a wonderful gift to receive it as it gave me a view from the perspective of the children, their faces plastered up against the cold window watching me depart. In another wonderful moment from this past Christmas, I was passing through downtown Abingdon, Va., one early evening just before dark. Christmas was only a few days away and I had just left one stop headed for another. As I neared a light on main street, just east of the heart of downtown, I saw a family walking in the same direction that I was traveling on the left sidewalk, just a short way ahead of me. They had their backs to me and did not see me slowly approach. It was a family of four; man, wife and two young children. Both children were walking hand-in-hand with their parents. They were out for a walk downtown just before Christmas, perhaps having just left a store or eatery on their Christmas walk. I grinned as I saw the light was just turning green, which would allow me to continue right on through without stopping. Just before I reached them, with my window down, I began ringing my set of real sleigh bells I have handy in the sleigh (Mrs. Claus taught me this). I put my left arm out the window and began waving, continuing to ring the sleigh bells the entire time, giving the effect of the sound nearing, passing and going away. Just as/after I passed even with the family, I began a big boisterous HO, HO, HO. All they could see was an arm clad in red and trimmed with fur, ending in a hand wearing a white glove, waving. Behind me now, I could hear squeals of Santa! Santa! Santa! I think I was still laughing with pure joy as I past the Barter Theatre, headed up courthouse hill a number of blocks down the street! I know they have a special family Christmas memory from that evenings walk during Christmas 2010. So do I. Bill McKee Santa@theSantaClaus.com www.northpoleobserver.com Santa seeks advice working with animals I appeared as Santa at my local PetSmart for the first time this year, and will be doing the same thing, again. I was surprised to find how frightened most dogs become when their owners place them on Santa s lap to have their pictures taken. I love animals (sometimes more than most adult people that I have met) and I would love to do this PetSmart-thing more often in the future. But, I would love to hear from other Santas as to how they have been able to help the dogs relax more and enjoy the experience more. In the meantime, I will do some experimenting on my own to try to find a way to calm them down on my own. Thanks, Santa Dan Danta Myers dmyers@pebtf.org
Page 18 For nine months, the nine-year-old Hurricane Katrina survivor did not speak. He and his mother rode out the killer storm in the attic of their home. His next-door neighbors were not so lucky and the young boy heard their screams as Katrina took the lives of his best friend and his friend s mother. When the mother and son moved to Mobile, they sought help for the boy s post traumatic stress. Week after week, month after month, the boy was silent during therapy sessions. A professional in the medical community called Santa-America for help. When Daphne, Alabama resident Santa Ernest Berger walked into the counselor s office, the young boy jumped up, flew across the room and hurled himself into Santa Ernest s embrace shouting, Santa, I thought you were dead. The boy s mother and counselor wept as the boy told Santa Ernest about his nightmare experiences. Santa-America Changes Families Lives! Founded in 2003 by Daphne, Alabama resident Santa Ernest Berger, Santa-America is a national non-profit volunteer service organization that offers Santa visits to children and families in crisis 365 days a year! Santa nurtures children and their families by giving compassion during an emotionally stressful time of their life. Following the initial visit, the same Santa will continue to visit the family year after year, helping in their grief and bereavement. Santa s visits with children come from the medical community, hospice, and special needs educators. We build relationships with medical societies and alliances. As one of our initiatives, Santa America is conducting a clinical pilot study to reveal the value of Santa s love on chronically ill children. Caring For Our Children Santa-America is the leader in advancing the highest standards for its volunteers. We conduct rigorous national background checks and intensive training the same background check as a doctor or nurse. Love, Hope & Joy Wrapped in a Warm Santa Hug for Special Children & Their Families 365 Days A Year! How We Build Community Santa- America volunteers unite generations and work together to build community through service to our children. The gifts of Love, Hope & Joy transcend politics, culture, race and religion. These gifts are treasured universal values. Gifts for Our Children Photos courtesy of Elizabeth McGonagle Graham, Lasting Memories Photography When we visit our special children, Santa-America gives gifts that symbolize Love, Hope and Joy. Our signature Santa Hugs, sleigh bells, and our special book, An Angel in the Sky, continue to remind children and their families of their special visit with Santa. For more information about Santa-America, visit Santa-America online at www.santa-america.org or contact our President, Santa Ernest Berger, at SantaErnest@santa-america.org. Don t miss the Santa America Blog on the Web site at http://www.santa-america.org/ santa-blog. Any Santa interested in becoming a Santa- America Santa please contact Bob Elkin at santa@santatb.com
Full Page (outlined in green) Page 19 Advertising space is available at reasonable costs. Submissions need to be page-ready, complete with any art, and in high resolution for best reproduction. Please contact me, bill@earthdancer.org, for pricing, information and publication deadlines. CONTACT: Bill McKee bill@earthdancer.org Workshop & Sleigh: 276-429-2181 1/2 Page 1/4 Page CONTACT: Bill McKee bill@earthdancer.org Workshop & Sleigh: 276-429-2181 1/8 Page CONTACT: Bill McKee bill@earthdancer.org Workshop & Sleigh: 276-429-2181 Text Block CONTACT: Bill McKee bill@earthdancer.org Workshop & Sleigh: 276-429-2181
Classified Page 20 North Pole Observer Copyright 2010, 2011 Masthead Artwork by Earthdancer Imaging The North Pole Observer is published by Brothers Claus Press. Issues are published in PDF format and available for viewing or download at http://www.northpoleobserver.com. An archive of the issues is readily available online at http:// www.northpoleobserver.com. The publication is edited and produced independently by Bill McKee, a long-time Santa. All contents are the sole property of the authors, protected under U.S. and International copyright laws and trademarks. Written permission must be obtained from the author of any article before reproducing any of the written content, or images in any form. All rights reserved. http://www.thesantaclaus.com CONTACT: Bill McKee bill@earthdancer.org www.northpoleobserver.com Workshop & Sleigh 276-429-2181 Brass Bells, Polar Express Style Bells & more These sand cast, solid Brass bells can be found online at Cat s Paw Web site. The bells pictured above are recent additions to Perry s inventory. For our readers who are familiar with my story The Bell on Christmas Eve, this is my source of the small acorn bells which are very special to me. I have purchased numerous bells from Perry and I can recommend his service, honesty and products very highly, without hesitation. Contact Perry at: Cat s Paw http://www.catspawdb.com/accessories.html donnajo@aye.net The Santa Clause In putting on this suit and entering the sleigh, the wearer waives any and all rights to previous identity, real or implied, and fully accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus until such time that wearer becomes unable to do so either by accident or design. The Santa Clause from the movie The Santa Clause