Christmastime jingles memories of visits with Santa Claus

Author’s warning: The topic of this column jumps right in the middle of Santa Claus discussion, if you know what I mean.

It was a few days before Christmas and the streets of Forsyth, Mont., were decorated with red candy cane lights attached to the street lights. The snow was falling and I had stopped at the welfare office after school to see my mom.

I was 10 and went searching for her at her office after school to see if mom had a) money b) candy or c) something to drink.

As luck would have it, I was told she was in the break room in the back. I walked back and turned the corner and what did I see? A big Santa suit filled by the editor of our local paper and a white beard and a red hat lying on the table.

“Hi David,” Steve Jessen said. “What do you think of the costume. I look pretty good, don’t you think?”

Then he said “Oh! Are you OK with this?”

Of course I said I was but ... POOF, Christmas bells were a little tougher to hear from then on.

•••

I have always had a soft spot for Santa. I watch how the good ones really engage with kids of all ages and others ...not so much.

I have lucky enough to emcee the local Christmas tree lighting ceremony for a few years and I am always amazed — and relieved — to see how kids of all ages respond to Santa.

Even in the middle of a rainstorm this year, the kids lined up and patiently waited for their turn on Santa’s lap.

We have a great Santa for the tree lighting, by the way, and I honestly don’t know who he is outside of this one event.

Our county assessor was a great Santa, as well, and helped my daughter, Olivia, get over her deathly fear of Kriss Kringle a few years ago.

After a few years of Santa immersion therapy at the Festival of Trees and other places, it was clear that Olivia wasn’t going to have anything to do with Santa.

She would start shaking, screaming and clinging if we came anywhere within a 20 yard radius.

As luck would have it, Tina Reynolds invited Olivia and little girls of all ages to a Christmas party at her house. Olivia was probably four or five, Tina probably 18.

Santa was there and Jerry Clemons was there to help. Wink, wink.

As we walked into the living room I felt a the familiar death grip clamp down on my hand. Olivia had seen HIM and was gearing up to start with all of the symptoms.

I quickly moved her out of the living room and into the dining room and distracted her with cookies and punch.

I snuck away and had a man-to-Santa meeting with the big guy.

He had heard stories like this for many years and suggested a little together time with Santa would be just what Olivia needed.

So after all of the other kids got their Santa fix, I brought Olivia back into the living room so it would just be me, Olivia and Santa.

She knew something was up, and started for the front door. I grabbed her as gently as anyone could grab what was the equivalent of five cats that had just been dumped in the tub.

I put her on the couch near Santa and just took a deep breath to let things settle. Santa came over and sat next to Olivia.

For the next few minutes, Santa explained to Olivia how special she was and how he looked forward to visiting her again.

She wouldn’t talk for awhile and didn’t make anything that resembled eye contact. I had lost all feeling in my right hand a long time ago. I also discovered she had sharp fingernails as well as a great grip.

Finally she started to answer what she wanted for Christmas, did she have a pet, did she love her dad, etc.

And then she rallied with a sudden burst of energy and shouted “I love you, Santa” and gave him a big hug and kiss. I admit I had a few tears.

A few years have gone by and I am not quite sure where my now 12-year-old daughter is with the whole Santa thing.

The deal in the Keyes household is that as long they believe in Santa will be the exact amount of time there is something in their stockings on Christmas Day.

This rule especially goes for 17-year-old big brother who has fought spilling the beans several times.

Drop me a note with your Santa stories to dkeyes@bonnercountydailybee.com or mail them to: Box 159, Santapoint, Idaho-ho-ho.

Merry Christmas.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.

P.S. Wife’s note: David almost had some explaining to do when Santa made a surprise visit to Grandpa and Grandma’s house to see our son, then 6 years old. In a strange coincidence, Santa’s shoes looked suspiciously like the ones David wore to work.