The Santa's Clauses Chapter 7

All good things come to an end, and alas, my stint as Santa Claus draws at an end too.  It was exhilarating, exciting, and challenging – and I bet it took five years of my otherwise projected lifespan. I could not have known that what began as a joke would have such a profound effect on me. I hadn’t had a paid job for ages – and this one made a great change from volunteering for a zillion good causes at the drop of a hat because “she does not work so she has nothing to do”. Today, I set up my folding stool in a town where, I assumed, I would be allowed to rest and scribble down reminiscences for this blog. I had made more for the company than their most optimistic projections, and so I intended to take it easy for a change. Or so I thought. I chose the day when the Local Council decided to hold an all-day festival; the whole megillah… a fund-raising jumble sale, a fun run around the town,   street theatre and mimes, story-telling, a fashion show, wine and Christmas Cake sampling tables… and of course the inevitable song festival. The evening was to wind down with a Carol Singing event, but of course I did not stay that long. When I saw the Mayor approach me, I assumed he was going...