BY DEB & TIM SMITH
CHRISTMAS KARMA ~ Talk about your Christmas karma! Rewind to two Sundays ago when we have just returned to town after a festive day in Seneca Falls collaborating with our friends at the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum for an article that appeared in the Sentinel last week. We’ve occasionally referred to the concept of “God things” in our writing and here’s our most recent example.
Immediately upon returning home from working on the greatest Christmas movie of all time, we decide to swing by Flaherty’s. We pull out two bar stools, sit down, slide back in, and as Christ is our witness we find ourselves sitting down smack dap next to Santa Claus. As writers, we feel like any time you can smoothly work God, Christ, and Santa Claus into the opening two paragraphs of your Christmas piece you’ve achieved what is known, in literary circles, as the tasteful but terribly tricky traditional trilogy of holy trinity triumph.
All alliteration aside, let’s circle back to the bar as we are oft inclined to do. Of course we don’t know we are sitting next to Santa Claus, at least not at first. Hey! It’s only December 3rd, so the jolly jovial dude isn’t even in uniform yet. You don’t spend a day at the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum, walk into a bar, and belly up next to Santa Claus; that sounds more like the beginning of a bad joke.
NAUGHTY OR NICE ~ We only realize we are sittin’ with Santa when he leans over and mentions that, “I’ve been making a list and checking it twice.” Then he discretely opens his laptop and says, “I want you two to know that my “Naughty or Nice” spreadsheet enables me to confirm that you’ve had a very nice year.”
Based upon that line, along with his jocular nature and rotund build, we pick up on the Santa Claus-is-sitting-right-next-to-us vibe. While acknowledging that this is a distinct honor, we do throw cautious glances at one another, mutually coming to the conclusion that Santa may need to stop by the Apple Store for a checkup on his “Naughty or Nice” software app. If you read our stuff on a regular basis, you probably know where we are going with this. Truth be told, there’s been a few times this year when we have been very naughty.
At any rate, as sometimes happens during the holidays, one thing leads to another, and before the revelry is retired, Santa has excitedly extended to us the offer to join him on his float in the Honeoye Falls Parade of Lights. Plans are made to meet at the Marketplace at 6:15 on Saturday; let the festivities begin. What are the odds that in the same week the Russians get officially kicked out of the Olympic Games, we are officially invited to participate in the Reindeer Games?
PARADE FLOATS ~ Unique personal backstory, Deb has not had the opportunity to practice her girl-on-a-float-waving-to-the-crowd performance since the HF-L homecoming parade of 1973, but old habits die hard. After practicing for just a couple hours, it all comes back to her. In the 22-year history of the parade, the audience consensus is that they have never seen a better wave.
One thing about riding on a float in a parade is that you get an incredible view of all the spectators, but no view whatsoever of the other floats. So at this point we’re going to defer to Bill Soehner from the Honeoye Falls Fire Department for some facts and figures on the event. First off, the HFFD would like to thank all the organizations which participated in the annual Christmas Parade of Lights.
That participation exceeded everything from previous years. The 38 floats in the parade included 17 local fire companies, as well as various other local businesses and organizations.
The parade drew a crowd which was estimated at 5,000. Rotary Club, which contributed over 200 pounds of candy, and has traditionally hosted the culminating float with the real Santa Claus, specifically asked us to thank Dave and Jeremy Meisenzahl whose equipment and holiday spirit contribute greatly to the event. The Fire Department asked us to thank the Village Board for serving as judges, the verdicts are in . . .
AND THE WINNERS ARE . . .
FIRE DEPARTMENT ENTRIES: 1st place – Bristol; 2nd place – Richmond ~ 3rd place – East Avon
NON FIRE ENTRIES: 1st place – HF-L Transportation; 2nd place – CB Brewcrafters
OUTSTANDING PARTICIPATION: Livonia Fire & EMS
MOST UNIQUE: Cougar Tech HF-L Robotics
FURTHEST DISTANCE: Savannah Cellar Savers
HAVE BREAKFAST AT FLAHERTY’S ~ The grand finale of these Honeoye Falls holiday festivities is the breakfast that occurs at Flaherty’s this Saturday morning, December 16th, beginning at 9:30, with Santa’s arrival slated for 10:00. As Santa assures us, during our conversation, his favorite gig of the year is the festival at Flaherty’s. This event, which drew about 35 children six years ago, has grown to the point that Santa knows to expect hundreds of anxious children, along with their families this year. And whether you have attended this event in the past or not, both Santa and the Smiths are certain this experience will become a permanent pillar in your personal pantheon of holiday history.
Hope to see you there!
