I have such a joyous job at this time of year, I get to see so many Father Christmas' they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, no matter the children lap up the 'Ho..Ho..Ho' their faces light up with excitement and wonder....
Yesterday's Father Christmas had brought along a spare pair of glasses as last year a child had noticed that he had been wearing them out of costume, old timers know not to wear the shoes or any other article of clothing they were wearing before they changed, children are so observant.
One of the best Father Christmas I have encountered was the one that turned up with a black eye. He was a nurse and had been assaulted in Casualty the night before he was due to play the part.
One Father Christmas was so nervous he couldn't even say 'Ho...Ho..' his hand was shaking so much he couldn't give out his selection boxes. Then there was the time I built up Father Christmas' big entrance raised my hand towards the door and.....nothing....I wasn't particularly worried as this often happens, getting Father Christmas to turn up at just the right time is almost an impossibility. But on this occasion I was on my fourth build up when a woman came to whisper in my ear that they couldn't find his costume. I was mortified. What was I going to tell the children? Luckily, when the heard that Father Christmas had to be called away for an emergency but had left their presents behind they accepted the explanation without question.
The woman I worked for yesterday related a time when Father Christmas had handed out his gifts only to find two children in his party had not received anything, the parents had forgotten to bring their presents. 'What happened' I said trying to stifle the little scream of shock coming from my lips 'Nothing' she answered continuing with her decorating of a Christmas tree in the hall 'There was nothing to give them' 'We all felt dreadful, of course, but there was nothing we could do' Visions flashed in my mind of what I would have done in that situation, I think I would have started gathering up discarded Christmas wrapping paper and pushing cakes and other bits out of my handbag inside it, while blabbing away and stalling for time. I just can't begin to imagine what went on inside the minds of those two little children and their poor parents.
Oh, well, it's 'Jingle Bells' again tomorrow.....ahhhh....