Santa's advocate

Oh my goodness! Look at the cobwebs in here! Time to dust! Or redecorate! Or something!

Ahem.

Yes, I've been absent for quite some time. If your blog is quiet for 4 months can you still call yourself a blogger? At any rate...

I hit the mall by myself this morning. On a mission. I headed to the Gap, determined to leave with one pair of fashionable jeans, damnit. Because how long have I been talking about doing that? Anyway, I was the first customer in the store and had the sales lady all to myself. After trying on about 8 pairs of jeans, I left with my new Long & Leans. And guess what? You needn't be either long or lean to wear them!

After the Gap, I scooted over to the Santa throne. We had such a great experience at this mall with Santa last year, I wanted to see if the same guy was working. Sure enough, he was. He didn't have any visitors, so I walked up to him and asked about his schedule. Little did I know I was stepping into a landmine. He and the young woman at the desk looked at each other - obviously something was up! He'd be there all day today, he said. What about next week? I pressed. Turns out the mall management wants him to wear a fake beard. I was aghast. The guy is the perfect Santa! Real white hair, wire-rim glasses, and a real (albeit scrawny) white beard.

NO! I protested. You're the perfect Santa!

So they asked me to go tell the mall director what I thought. Because this Santa wasn't going to stick around if they made him wear a fake beard. DANG! This is the Santa I want to take my little boy to see again this year.

Off I stormed, to the mall office. I'd never visited a mall office before. I vented to a secretary, as the director wasn't available. Then I went to the web site when I got home, where I blasted off an e-mail to the marketing director and the general manager:

While at the mall this a.m., I stopped to see who was on as Santa. I was thrilled to see the same Santa we visited last year. When I asked when he'd be there this week and next, so that I can return with my young son, he hesitated to say. When I pressed, he mentioned that there's talk of him being asked to wear a fake beard, and if he has to do that, he might not be there much longer.

Then I learned that his name is Rick. But at our house he's the real Santa. His photo has been on our fridge for the past year.

There are a LOT of lousy Santas in town -- poor grammar, not good with kids, not the slightest bit authentic looking. We like that Santa Rick is none of those things. He's the real deal, and he's the BEST Santa in town. Please don't make him wear a fake beard! We love him for his gentle demeanor and authenticity -- both in behavior and appearance. He's the reason we'll return to do our Christmas shopping at The Marketplace.

Thanks for listening,

Marie

Will they listen? Do they care what a customer thinks? We'll see...

(ps -- I'm a lot better at Twittering than I am at blogging these days...  And by the way, what's all the fuss about Facebook anyway? I'm just not gettin' it... Is it just me?)

Comments

[Suzanne]

SOS (Save Our Santa)!

Good to hear from you. I myself don't get Twitter, but I love Facebook. Go figure.

[Sarcasmom]

As you well know I neither Twitter or FB. We took our kids to the ssame Santaevery year. Now my daughter takes the CP to him as well.Most people in this area know him as THE Santa. One of these years I imagine he won't be there. I have been tld he comes in from Minnesota every year.

[Bluegrass Mama]

Welcome back! And good for you; I hope they see the error of their ways. And I'm with Suzanne--love Facebook but not Twitter (which I know would be an even worse timesucker for me than FB is).

[kristin/kwr221]

okay, I live in your neck of the woods - I'm curios - which mall? I love the real-looking Santas. It's so disappointing to see one who looks and acts fake - kids aren't stupid.

Twitter is addicting.

So is FB - it's a great way to connect with old friends and there are fun time -waster games there, too.

[nat]

Well, howdy stranger!

Nice letter..I hope the mall peeps listen to you and reconsider. So what if the beard is scrawny! Yeah, I'm sure that's the reason the shoppers aren't out in full force this year. BLAME SANTA's BEARD!!
Idiots.

I like facebook, but I don't really spend much time on it. Lately, I've been addicted to Geni, filling out the family tree and getting others to join it, post pics, and enter family info.
Good to have you back, Marie!

[JOdy]

Good to see you back! I just started to twitter and facebook. I'll look you up on Facebook. I'm not so sure how to find you on twitter so I'll just tell you that I'm iatraveler and leave that to you!