Christmas 2009

Nov 28th, 2009

For us the Christmas season officially started last night with the start of Salvation Army Christmas Kettle season. A couple of years ago I was asked if I could help out picking up Christmas kettles and bringing them in to be counted and deposited at night. I asked what night was needed the most and the answer was Friday night.

Mark was just starting karate and so I paid him $5/week to provide protection and security for me as I went in and out of the mall. At the time he knew one block. When I asked him what we would do if the guy knew two punches, he actually said, “Well we are kind of screwed."

The first kettle we picked up, we were walking out of Lawson Heights Mall and Mark whispered, “What are you doing?” I said that we were taking that kettle back to be counted. He said incredulously, “We are taking Santa Claus’ money?” For a couple of weeks I am pretty sure he thought his dad worked for an organized crime gang called, the Salvation Army who ripped off Santa Claus.

It takes about 90 minutes to pick up the kettles at Lawson Heights Mall, Confederation Park Mall, 33rd Street Co-op, and Midtown Plaza depending on whether or not Wendy is with me and whether or not we stop for coffee at Starbucks. The secret to getting coffee at Starbucks is to go in early and get your coffee so you aren’t carrying the kettle and looking like you are using kettle money to purchase your late.

Last year Captain Jean, the pastor of New Hope Community Church and one of the chaplains at the Centre asked if I would help with Sunday night coffee houses during December. I would make Mark put gloves, hair net, and apron on, even though he wasn’t able to serve any food. Everyone got a kick out of the kid who looked like a big walking mushroom. Mark wasn’t so nearly impressed. When clean up time came, Mark helped out cleaning up and I think I paid him $10/week to help out. He was saving up for a Nintendo DS. Lee gave him one for Christmas but the money he saved up paid for a couple of games for his consol.

Since October, Mark has been asking if we were going to be picking up kettles this year so I didn’t really have a choice when they gave me Friday night again. Since it is Friday nights, Mark can stay up a little later, provide security for me and then we can have a snack once we get home. He pointed out that his karate moves have increased so it looks like I need to pay a little more this Christmas season. Inflation has even hit the “hired goons” industry.

Christmas is pretty quiet around here. We are getting together with the Reimers this Friday night before they head south to California. I am working at the shelter for Christmas Day. While we have two cooks coming in to cook for the residents, Wendy, Mark, and Oliver are coming down as well. One of our cooks is going to teach Wendy how to make bannock and Mark is going to work with me. The preliminary plan is to open our gifts together on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day, we will have our supper together with Lee and whoever wants to stop by for turkey/ham. On Boxing Day Wendy is going to be working at Safeway but I am taking a week off work that week.

Between the 2.5 family events, there is the Salvation Army Community Dinner, the Santa Shuffle/Elf Run, and our staff Christmas Party. With no changes to the Enchanted Forest this year, we decided to pass on that but I am going to try to take in some singles games for the World Junior Hockey Championships with Mark, Wendy, and Oliver. The other big event is that Wendy is turning 40 this year.

The good news is that we are 90% done our Christmas shopping. Oliver, Mark, Lee, Kristi, and the Reimers gifts are picked out purchased, wrapped, and are stacked in the corner of our living room. We refuse to go into debt for Christmas so we start looking around in September and start buying gifts then. I don’t mind Christmas shopping but I hate Christmas shopping in December.