Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Merry Christmas to all!

Thanks to everyone for your help getting going with AC this past year. You're a great group.

What are you doing up this hour??

Merry Christmas as well

Merry Christmas! Doesn't Jon usually put out a new version of AC for a holiday present each year??? Version 7 Beta maybe Jon???

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I know how cynical we can get during the year, and so I'll share this vignette.

A group that Lori and I serve with focus their efforts in a particular community that is not overly affluent and has it's problems. They have a yearly Breakfast with Santa, and our group volunteered to help out. Unbeknownst to me, one of the gals at the Rec Center said that they needed a Santa and there was a white guy with a white beard in our group - would he be Santa? Now of course, I didn't think that it could be me because my beard ISN'T white [completely], but I am the lightest skinned in the group so it was possible they meant me.

So .... Lori jumped into action and knocked out a complete Santa Suit for yours truly, and I really didn't know what to expect; I love kids, but I am not a big fan of all the commercialism of Christmas.

Somewhat ironically I arrived via Police Escort to the community Rec Center, and was greeted in the parking lot by a swarm of kids who wanted to hug Santa. As they were being herded back into the Rec center, one little girl came up to me determined, but a little tentative; she got close, smiled up at me, and handed something to me. It was a little collection of stickers - I have them on my desk, and they make me smile every time I look at them.

I was then escorted to my chair in the corner of the Rec Center, and held kids and did pictures non-stop until they closed the event a few hours later. Some kids were tentative, and a few screamers that their Mom insisted that I hold for a picture. There a few adult females who wanted to sit on my lap as well for pictures - hadn't expected that.

There was live music, an MC, as well as a professional DJ - I've never heard "Santa Baby" done Hip-Hop before, but they pulled it off somehow.

Now here is the shocker, and it was the last thing I expected - most of the kids wanted to be hugged and held, but not one kid during the entire event came up to tell me what they wanted - not one. I am still amazed, and share this nugget with our community here because it takes the edge off my personal cynicism.

Here are some pictures from the event.

Yes, I usually do... but I've promised my Guardian Angels that they will have some family time this year. So not quite yet, but soon...

(Great job, Indy. Looks like fun.)

I am glad to see Jon was well behaved this year - I half expected him to release a new beta on Friday night for Christmas, but I also expected his staff to possibly kill him if he did.....

Great event, Indy. You look the part!

I'd love to say that the camera adds 40lbs, but most of that I came by all on my own. I aspire to have to use body padding next year, and not my own.

A sweet little lady from the neighborhood who comes every year to help cook the breakfast asked if I was their Santa now, so Lori and I have put this on our travel schedule for next year.

40 pounds by next year -- no problem. I can give some tips on how to do that by 3 weeks after Thanksgiving.

Great Job, Indy!