La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

Ho Ho Ho. I am especially glad to be coming to La Conner and homes throughout the area – indeed the world – this Christmas Eve. It will be great to see all the lights and displays and sample the cookies and milk and other treats left for me.

It is a big disappointment to not be with children and their families on Gilkey Square this Friday for the Christmas tree lighting. The lights come on in a one-two-three moment of collective magic, but the best part is seeing that children are excited to visit with me and their sharing their hopes for their Christmas joys.

Your town might have the best white fire truck in the whole world. I will miss riding up to everyone waiting for me and miss all your smiling faces and sparkling eyes.

I will also miss visiting with the Hook & Ladder department members. You don’t know that I come early and the volunteers have oats and hay for the reindeer out behind the fire station. The members feed me and when I come back from Gilkey Square we have more coffee with a little extra sparkle in it that warms me after my evening with you in Gilkey Square.

But my visit is always for two days. The reindeer and I bed down in Pioneer Park Friday night. Saturday morning is especially special, coming to Maple Hall, where Rotary Club of La Conner members have prepared a pancake breakfast and have a chair for me on stage for visiting with you: the children and grandchildren of La Conner. I see parents and grandparents, many of whom sat on my lap back when some were the ages of the babies that came up last year for pictures with me.

I can’t tell you how many times over the decades grown ups have told me they remember eating pancakes with their parents before they came to tell me what they wanted for Christmas. And you all are so different: some are shy, some are brave, some won’t say anything, some have to be pulled off stage while they are still telling me their stories.

And then there are the dogs. Whoever thought of bringing dogs in to have their pictures taken with me is a genius. Speaking reindeer language helps me understand dog talk.

Your dogs are pretty proud of you humans. They are pretty good natured, though they do not think it is as funny as you folks do when you put those fake antlers on them. Some of them are pretty embarrassed, actually. They are embarrassed for you. More than once they have told me that they would never do that to you.

Maybe the Rotary Club members have not shared this, but they prepare stacks of pancakes soaked in extra syrup for the reindeer. That food is great fuel to power us on our long trip back to the Pole.

I can go on and on about how much I enjoy my visits to La Conner. I can weep on this page lamenting my missing children of all ages this year.

But know this, when you see any of my elves and helpers in stores or out and about this December: They are wearing masks to protect you. And, they all have big smiles, even though you cannot see them.

Enjoy Christmas with your families. Keep your gathering small so that we all will be safe. That is how we show we care for each other. That is how we reduce the spread of the coronavirus. It is how we are planning to gather for the tree lighting and pancake breakfast next year, in 2021.

It is on my calendar.

Santa Claus

North Pole

Claus, a jolly old elf, “wishes Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.”