Welcome to Mystery Monday! As this is the last full week before Christmas, it seemed fitting to look at the holiday’s ultimate man of mystery, Santa Claus. On Friday, we’ll look at a more historical aspect of Santa. (Both are reposts, as I rush around with errands, like most folks do this time of year!)
Unlike mysteries in the fiction world, this one doesn’t involve crime. Santa Claus is a figure of benevolence, albeit guilty of a little B&E (breaking and entering). But since we put milk and cookies out for the guy (and maybe carrots for his reindeer), I’d say he could make a good case in court that he’d been invited. When’s the last time you put out milk and cookies for a burglar?
Speaking of court, here’s one of my favorite Santas, from Miracle on 34th Street:
Quite a contrast to another favorite Santa, the Old Spice MANta Claus:
How sweet! MANta Claus cares about all the little old ladies. See, Santa isn’t just for children!
There are some cool advantages to being Santa, too.
WHY IT’S GREAT TO BE SANTA CLAUS:
1. Folks WANT you to eat cookies. Lots of them.
2. You can eat all the cookies you want and still be skinny enough to fit inside the chimney. Amazing.
3. You’re supposed to have a big belly, like a bowl full of jelly.
4. With the help of some low-tech animals, you can fly.
5. Millions of kids send you requests for gifts, but you never get bombarded by mail. “North Pole” is a deliberately vague address.
6. The papparazzi can’t follow you because they don’t really know where you live (see #5, above), and even if they did, it’s too cold for their cameras (and no wifi or cell phone towers, either).
7. Parents do all the shopping and wrapping, and you get all the credit.
8. So many folks impersonate you that no one would ever recognize you.
9. You get the rest of the year off.
10. Red is definitely your color.
So what do you think of this “man of mystery”? Anyone have childhood memories of Santa, or have children who get excited about him? I’d love to hear from you.
For more holiday goodness, join Natalie Hartford today on our next Holiday Yum recipe stop, where she’s making cheesecake for us! Super holiday-yumminess!
Until next time,
Kathy
My wife and I were watching a football game yesterday, and there was a question of a punter starting for the team due to an illness (not an injury). She said, “There’s no calling in sick in football. You only HAVE to show up for work 16 days a year.” I laughed, and then a Xmas commercial came on. I said, “Hey, Santa has it better than football players. He only has to show up to work one day a year.” Not a bad gig if you can get it. ~clink~
Ah, we’re thinking alike…being a punter is hard work, though! Have a great Christmas with your family, Kerry – and lots of great food, right?
I hadn’t seen the Old Spice commercial – what a hoot. We didn’t do Santa in our house when I was growing up. but my kids believed. as do my grandchildren.
In canada, our postal code for the North Pole is HOH OHO…kids love it.
My mom sort of told me out of the blue when I was little, so I don’t remember childhood days believing in Santa, but Christmas Eve was still exciting, and it has been lots of fun with my own kids! The youngest is just about to grow out of it, though. So glad you stopped by, Louise!
That’s one of my favourite movies! (34th street, not the ad :))
Ooh, me too! Love that courtroom twist near the end. Thanks for the visit, Jemi!
Oh, I love it — I just wrote up a post dedicated to MANta Claus for Wednesday! So happy to see him getting lots of love this year. 😉
That scene from Miracle on 34th Street is definitely one of my favs, though I am a sucker for courtroom scenes in general.
I have a memory of a wonderful Christmas when my letter to Santa was snatched out of my hand by a gusty breeze as my mom and I were on our way to the post office. I was really sad (how was Santa going to know what I wanted?), but my mom told me that Santa would know anyway… and of course, I found everything I had written under the tree that year. That was wonderfully magical. 🙂
I can see Santa as a man of mystery….I mean, I never saw him. 🙂 I think Santa is a wonderful tradition of Christmas for the children. I believe.
LOL, Tiffany! Sometimes…I believe, too. Thanks for stopping by, and have a very Merry Christmas! 😀
I never really looked at it that way, but I guess it is pretty dang neat to be Santa. I’m thinking I really like that Old Spice Santa. He can come down my chimney any time.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
How DOES he keep his towel on while going down the chimney? LOL!
Santa has it made! Good stuff Kathy!
ROFL!! Those are some uber top 10 reasons to love being Santa Kathy. Love it.
But I especially LOVE MANta Claus…OMG…hello and FUNNY!!! LOL!!
Thanks for the uber shout out!
Great post, Kathy. Um, do you think a female could be Santa Claus? You know, with a fake belly & beard? For some reason, I don’t think Mrs. Claus gets as good a deal out of the gig as he does…lol!
Cheers hon!