How Santa Gets Lift-Off

I took a walk and did some shopping this afternoon. I bought four toy mice for the cats. (Dudo is currently working his way through the first one.)

While shopping, I perused the Christmas aisles. I always thought Santa’s reindeer provided the power for the flight around the world. It turns out that Santa himself is responsible. Apparently, he’s filled with gas. I sure am glad he never let loose while I was on his lap.

IT MUST BE A PAINFULLY UNCOMFORTABLE FLIGHT.
(I WONDER HOW THEY FIT HIM IN THAT BOX.)
SAN GERALDO AS SANTA AT YALE UNIVERSITY IN THE LATE ’80s.
SAN GERALDO AS SANTA AT BERKELEY, 1999.
(AS FAR AS I KNOW, HE WASN’T GAS-FILLED AT THE TIME.)

Well, sorry, I’ve got to run. Dudo just brought me the unraveling mouse and he’s commanding me to play fetch. I’m so well trained.

Author: Moving with Mitchell

From Brooklyn, New York; to North Massapequa; back to Brooklyn; Brockport, New York; back to Brooklyn... To Boston, Massachusetts, where I met Jerry... To Marina del Rey, California; Washington, DC; New Haven and Guilford, Connecticut; San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, and Santa Barbara, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Irvine, California; Sevilla, Spain. And Fuengirola, Málaga..

26 thoughts on “How Santa Gets Lift-Off”

  1. LOL! My friend's cat has me well trained, too. I recognized San Geraldo, in the first Santa and you picture, because of his eyes. So great to have your own Santa AND Saint! Love and best wishes to both of you this holiday season.

    1. Jo:
      Funny you should comment on the eyes. That evening, our friends' 4-year-old daughter came to sit on Santa's lap. She walked up the stairs of the library, took one look from way across the huge space and said, "That's not Santa. That's Jerry." Her mother said (very smartly), "You're right! Jerry is one of Santa's helpers. But how did you know it was Jerry?" The 4-year-old said, "His eyes."

    1. Judeet:
      I loved when I downloaded the photo and saw that tail in motion. I captured a perfect video of Dudo playing with, chasing, and fetching (and returning) the mouse. Unfortunately, I forgot to press the video button!

    1. Jim:
      Just a plastic "body" wrapped in nylon cord. I gave the cats two of the four mice yesterday. They're both now long trailing cords attached at one end to the plastic. I woke up this morning to a bright-eyed Dudo with both mice on my bed.

    1. Ms. Sparrow:
      San Geraldo loved to be Santa. He started it as a charity fund-raiser at work. You paid $1 for a photo on Santa's lap. The money then went to a local charity. I would have paid a lot more than a $1… and still would.

      You should see that tattered mouse today. More photos to come (since the minute I sat down here, he brought it back in).

    1. Stephen:
      Those were really good Santa outfits with really good padding. Those pictures were taken when the only thing larger than life about San Geraldo was his personality. However, there's not so much call for Santa's here in Spain. And there's no padding needed to be one of the Three Kings.

  2. Oh, where has 'the age of innocence' gone? Santas seem so creepy nowadays – and how many parents would now actively WANT their child to sit on Santa's knee? And just look at S.G.'s hand on your knee! Case proven! At least Dudo, despite those rascally, has an air of innocence about him.

  3. These pics sure brings back those trips to the store with my father where I was forced into sitting on Santa's lap, even if I didn't believe in Santa… Got the pictures to prove it.
    I did go as an adult on a couple of occasions, just for fun, with some colleagues back when I was working at Eaton's, a major Canadian retail store.
    These inflatables don't do so well here in Canada.
    I often see them laying in the snow, looking sad…
    :D~
    HUGZ

    1. TICKLEBEAR:
      That photo of me at Yale was the first time I ever sat on Santa's lap. I was in my 30s… and I kind of liked it.

      Ooh, the air in winter must be unpleasant for Christmas in Canada; all those Santa's expelling all that gas.

Please share your thoughts...

Discover more from Moving with Mitchell

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading