Santa Claus 2012

This year, for the second year running, I was Santa Claus at the Sundö Christmas Fair, which is part of the Pellinge yuletide celebrations. Last year there was no snow and I wandered up and down from the farm to the road, welcoming people and giving candies to the children. This year the snow was thick on the ground as I repeated the process.

There was also an almost continual fall of fresh snow, and howling gales from time to time to blow it into my face.

The children were a mixture of Swedish and Finnish speaking with a smattering of English speakers. Fortunately they were all too awe-struck or frightened to quiz me much in any language, and so I was tri-lingually convincing.

Or not.

During my four hour performance I posed for about eight obligatory photos in which the children tried to hide the fear flickering across their faces. I loved every moment of it, including the glöggi, the sausages and the deer soup that followed.

I have already volunteered for next year.