They Call It Black Friday Because It's Dark Outside!

It is crazy out here! I'm posting from the east coast of the USA. I have been rushing from mall to mall since MIDNIGHT. Yes... midnight. Who's idea was it to host special "Black Friday" midnight openings? I have got to find better help! I did not know last night when I was posting my "End of Turkey Day" comments that I had a commitment to be at a mall at midnight. I literally had just dozed off minutes after posting and there was a frantic knock at the door. My head of mall operations, Bill, was banging on the door and screaming "Mr. Claus! Mr. Claus! Are you ok?" Mrs. Claus got to the door before I did. Bill quickly explained I was already 5 minutes for my sleigh ride to the first of many, many midnight openings & appearances throughout the night. The reindeer were waiting and ready to go. Everyone was worried something had happened. I arrived in time to hear just enough snippets of Bill's panicked explanation to understand what had occurred and I rushed back up the hall to change. I was out of the house in about 10 minutes. Mrs. Claus was waiting for me at the door with a handful of Via packets (btw... Starbucks created instant Via Christmas Blend coffee just for me this year. You can buy it too but they designed this stuff just for me as they know I love my Christmas Blend and I'm always on the go this time of year. Very nice of them!) I grabbed the instant coffee packs and sprinted to the sleigh. This has been my first break. And let me tell you... it really is crazy out here. But if you want to catch the "Christmas Buzz" and start to get in the spirit and you are in the United States... it might be fun to hop in the car, tune to the local radio station playing Christmas Carols, and take a quick trip down to your local mall for an hour or two. Who knows, I may be there at the same time as you. I'd love to see you.

Ok... I gotta get back to it. The line to see me is getting pretty big and Bill is pestering me to get back out there. See you soon!

The End of Turkey Day

Wow! What a day. I guess the Christmas season really is here. Don't misunderstand me... I am completely and utterly excited about Christmas but it seems this year it just slipped up on me. Maybe because I've been so busy with all the administrative responsibilities of my job these past few months, I've just kind of lost sight of the big picture. Or maybe its because I've been dealing with my back for so many weeks now. Regardless, its here and I am ready to go.

Today really did kick me into gear. And I needed it. The alarm went off early this morning because I wanted to get a work-out in. I took my ibuprofen, did 30 minutes of ab work, went for a short run, and then did some weights. I was dripping with sweat when I was done but still craving a cup of coffee. I poured a cup of Starbucks Thanksgiving Blend and grabbed a couple of the newspapers to read while I cooled off.

By the time I got out of the shower, Mrs. Claus was up and busy preparing the Thanksgiving meal. She had my breakfast waiting for me... what a darling! I quickly ate breakfast and then rushed off to meet Jingle at the HQ to review the schedule for the day and the rest of the week (btw... its gonna be crazy! Do you know how many mall appearances, parades, and tree lighting ceremonies there are in North America this next weekend? Then we have to put up all the decorations here at the North Pole on Tuesday. And the following weekend is when all the festivities really launch in Europe... markets, tree lightings, etc.) The good news is that everything is looking great for this year's Christmas Eve operation. All our supplies are lined up, factories are ready to roll, government relations are strong, long-range weather forecasts are favorable, the reindeer are in tip-top shape, and the sleigh has been enhanced yet again to carry a bigger payload, more efficiently. Its as strong as its ever been going into the system.

After the meeting, Jingle and I walked back to the house together. We arrived just in time for the big Thanksgiving day meal. As is the case every year, Mrs. Claus out-did herself. And as is the case every year, I ate way too much. I was feeling quite sluggish as I pulled myself away from the dining table and headed to the flight operations center. There was no time to take a nap... I had to fly down to New York for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And from there it was off to the NFL game between the Saints & Cowboys. What a game! Unfortunately my team lost but it was very entertaining.

Mrs. Claus and I hosted some friends for coffee & dessert so I had to get back quickly after the game. We had a great time visiting but by the time they left, I was exhausted. I think I'm getting lazy in my old age! I kicked back in the recliner to just catch my breath for a minute and the next thing I knew, Mrs. Claus was waking me. I told her to just let me sleep and I'd come to bed later but she reminded me I promised to post tonight. So I poured my last cup of Thanksgiving Blend coffee for this year (tomorrow I break out the Starbucks Christmas Blend! I can't wait... its my favorite!) and made my way into the office, where I am now, to write this post. It's been a very good day... spending it with friends and family, celebrating the Holiday season in New York, and attending a Thanksgiving Day tradition in Dallas. With all that... and now snow falling outside my window and the fireplace in my office roaring & crackling behind me as I type... I'm definitely in the Christmas Spirit. That's a very good thing because the Christmas season is NOW. Merry Christmas, Everyone!

For my friends in the United States....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Just finished a great Thanksgiving Dinner with Mrs. Claus and some of our closest friends. I'll post later tonight but I'm headed for the New Orleans Saints v. Dallas Cowboys NFL game right now. If you are watching on tv this afternoon, see if you can find me in the stands.

A Very Lazy Saturday

It was a perfect pre-Christmas Saturday for me. Mrs Claus and I slept in until about 9a... which is late for me. And this will be one of the last Saturday's I can sleep in. We didn't get out of our PJs until shortly after noon. I brewed the first pot of Starbucks Thanksgiving blend coffee to start the day and then settled in to watch football (the global version). I flipped between various English Premier League games. My favorite team, Manchester United, won with a goal by Park in the 94th minute... what an exciting game.

After the ManU game, I decided to go for my first run in 3 weeks. I hurt my back 3 weeks ago while helping Jingle move into his new place. I didn't think much of it at the time but I woke the next morning and I could barely walk. I don't wish a back injury on anyone! I got massages, saw the Dr multiple times, treated it with alternating heat and cold... everything I could think of but it took about 2 weeks before I wasn't in constant pain. I could barely sleep it was so bad... in fact, I could only sleep sitting up. Finally, by the third week it began to get better. So today, three weeks to the day I hurt it, I went for a run. It has been hard not working out. I gained 6 kilos in just 3 weeks. So my run today was not easy. I thought I would cough up a lung or something I was gasping for air so badly. And I only ran for 20 minutes because I want to see how my back reacts. Its been good all day but the moment of truth will be when I wake tomorrow morning.

Anyway... after a nice warm shower, I settled back on the couch with a fresh cup of coffee (decaf at this point) and tuned into American college football. Mrs. Claus grabbed her book and snuggled in next to me. She read and I watched football until late. We finally realized it was past time for dinner. We had been planning to go out for dinner but decided it would be easier to order in at that hour. Neither of us felt like getting dressed up and getting out of the house... so we had dinner delivered.

After dinner, Mrs. Claus went to get ready for bed. I put a tea pot of water on the stove to make chocolate mint tea... Mrs. Claus' favorite.... and then came in here to my den to check email and post. I can hear the tea pot whistling... in fact, its been whistling for a couple of minutes. I better go pour the water for Mrs Claus' and my tea. I love a nice cup of that chocolate mint team just before bedtime.

Oh... if you live in the States, don't forget to set your clocks back. We set ours back here last week.

See you soon!

November.... Already?!

Wow! Is it already November?!

I was just watching the last game of the baseball World Series, snacking on toasted pumpkin seeds, and washing it down with a Pumpkin Spice Latte when it occured to me its actually November.... November 1st. Where did the 'off-season' go?! I only have a few more days before I'm back into full swing - 24x7 - in preparation for Christmas Eve 2010. And it also means it is time again for me to start posting regularly to my blog. It's going to be a great Christmas season this year and you will not want to miss any of it. Stay tuned....

Oh... and let me be the first this year to tell you.... "Happy Holidays!"

A Final Word On Christmas

Merry Christmas, Everyone! I sure hope you had a great Christmas. I know I did. Each year it seems to get better and better. I was very pleased with how well our Christmas Eve Operation went last night given all of the unexpected challenges. We ended up with 100% delivery success and initial polls show that overall satisfaction was around 97%. That's up about 4% from last year (note: last year was actually the lowest we have had since the 1940s) and back within our historically normal range.

It was a very pleasant Christmas for me. It took us about 3 hours after I landed back at the North Pole to wind down the operations. Mrs. Claus and I then had brunch together at the house. Some of the elves were kind enough to prepare it for us so that neither one of us had to cook... it was very nice of them. After brunch, Mrs. Claus and I both took a 4 hour nap. We awoke around 2pm NPT but only because I had set the alarm. Its a good thing I did because we had to get up and prepare Christmas dinner. We invited about a dozen of our closest friends over for dinner. It's nothing fancy but its one of my favorite things about the season.... we (read: Mrs. Claus) make good food, its a great atmosphere, and we share laughs with good friends. We just use the dining room but on Christmas, with the dining room tree (it's a 10-footer, decorated with multi-color lights and hand-made ornaments we have received as gifts from children all over the world... every country is represented) glowing, tens of candles flickering, and the floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the snowy scene outside, and a huge fire roaring in the stone fireplace, the atmosphere was hard to beat. We sat for hours after dinner drinking coffee, sharing memories, and making plans for the future. I hope all of you had a chance to connect with friends and family the way Mrs. Claus and I were able to tonight.

After everyone left and Mrs. Claus went to bed, I retired to the den and took a seat in my recliner. I turned all the lights off except the Christmas tree lights and the lights in the garland that draped all the windows. The fire was burning low in the fireplace and about a dozen candles on the mantle were lit. I started to turn the TV on but then decided not to... instead I turned on the sound system and tuned the satellite radio to the Christmas music channel. I grabbed one last cup of Christmas Blend coffee (I won't drink anymore until next year) and settled in my recliner. I just sat there and enjoyed the moment... soaking in every last precious moment of Christmas. I didn't think about old memories or make plans for the future... I was just truly in the moment. I don't know about you but its rare I do that. I am always thinking about what's next... two, three, four moves down the road. I don't think much about the past other than to consider what I can learn from it but thinking about "what's next" often keeps me out of the moment. So tonight was special. It is something I need to apply more often. If you haven't taken time to just sit and enjoy a quiet, still moment during this very special... even magical... time of year, I encourage you to do so. You will be amazed at the pure joy it provides.

It's time now for me to "hit the hay". It's been an amazing run to and through Christmas this year. As we close this season, I want you to know how much I appreciate all of you. I hope that my role as Santa Claus serves to provide you with joy, hope, and belief. I pray the spirit of Christmas and its true meaning will be with you through out the year ahead. May God bless you and all of your loved ones.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a very blessed night!

Love,
Santa

Merry Christmas!

...and to all a Good Night!

The last presents have been delivered, the last cookie eaten, the last glass of milk consumed, and the last stocking filled.

I just recieved the "All Clear" signal from the North Pole Headquarters. We are pointing the sleigh due north and returning home. I hope everyone has had as much fun this Christmas Eve as I have had tonight. Tomorrow is going to be the best Christmas yet!

I will not update my log until late in the day to day as I plan on enjoying Christmas brunch with Mrs. Claus and taking a nap.

Good night, all!


"And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21

Alaska

I am just entering Alaska. It feels like being back home at the North Pole. Talk about cold! Brrr. I am still behind schedule but we will easily finish our work this evening before the sunrises and kids wake up. It's been a good night... even with a few unexpected challenges along the way.

From here, I will head south to the Hawaiian Islands. I'll make a few stops between but I can shed the jacket for a few minutes and swap out my Starbucks Christmas blend coffee for some 100% Kona coffee while I'm cruising through the Islands. I love it down there!

Mrs. Claus and I will be back in the Islands for our annual vacation in a little more than a week. Can't wait!

To all of you now awake across Europe, Asia, Africa, & Australia/Oceania... Merry Christmas!

Back to BC

I am still tracking behind schedule but the weather is much, much better. I am currently in the Damascus, Oregon area after spending some time in western Canada.

Once again this year, I spent a little extra time in Vancouver, BC with a little girl I know that is fighting cancer as well. I'll spend time with her sister as well. Regrettably, I can't let them see me... but I am so proud of both of them that I want to take a little time and make sure they are tucked in and sleeping well. It was a tough year for both of them as there were additional follow-up surgeries. Life seems to be a roller coaster when you are battling something like this.

All I can say is that I really admire the entire family for how they handle this along with all the other challenges life brings us. It is not easy but they are doing it. Day to day they are making life go on. As I said last year, I never cease to be amazed by the strength and character of children that face cancer. They are wise & strong beyond their years. And they are truly an inspiration to me. Its well worth spending a few extra minutes with them.

I have deliveries to make so I'm going to sign-off for now. I'll post again soon.

Behind Schedule

I am behind schedule and experiencing some technical difficulties as I move towards the west coast. I have crossed the Rocky Mountain range in North America and am experiencing much better weather conditions; however, due to the storm across the mid-western United States, I am about an hour behind where I would like to be.