When I was a child I remember every children’s event that we had at the Legion Branch #99 in Cowansville, Quebec. We always went to the Legion for happy occasions such as summer picnics or Christmas parties, or sometimes even weddings.
Each year all of us local children looked forward to that Sunday afternoon at the Legion’s Children’s Christmas party. One by one they would call our names and we would tell Santa our hopes and dreams for Christmas and then tear open our present which was usually a puzzle or a paint by number set.
Today, there are still memories of hard wooden chairs, lots of adult chatter over beer and the ozone proof cigarette smoke cloud hanging over the room. Everyone was so nice to us and I assume today they all watched their language when we were around. The memory of war in the 1950s was still fresh in everyone’s mind and by eavesdropping to some of those adult conversations then you would have thought the war had ended about a week ago.
Fast forward many decades and I live in Ontario now. I try and go to the Legion Branch #192 breakfast every month as entering any Legion is timeless and it brings back great memories. Saturday I got there very early to celebrate “Breakfast with Santa” just as excited as I was when I was a child.
As I ate my delicious breakfast I searched the crowd for Santa but he hadn’t arrived yet. Thirty minutes later I asked someone where Santa was. Apparently Santa was going to be hanging out on the lower floor, so I made my way down there wanting to have a photo with him. It seemed oddly quiet as I walked down the hall. As I glanced into one of the rooms there was Santa in all his glory in his red underwear getting dressed. I was mortified to have disturbed the jolly man, and quickly apologized as I ran up the stairs.
When I was a child I used to go to bed Christmas Eve fully clothed as I didn’t want Santa to see me in my underwear. My Dad also used to tell me if I stopped believing in Santa I would only get underwear as a gift. Well, I saw Santa’s underwear last Saturday. Truthfully, I am glad I have always believed in Santa as none of us gals needs to wear red stretchy underwear like that!
Apologies Santa, and in reality Santa, I have been very good this week. So, let’s just focus on that!
Merry Christmas!
lindaseccaspina 