WRIGHTS LANE : MEMORIES OF A LONG-RETIRED SANTA CLAUS...

Sharing with you things that are on my mind...Maybe yours too. Come back to Wrights Lane for a visit anytime! And, by all means, let's hear from you by leaving a comment at the end of any post. THE MOTIVATION: I firmly believe that if I have felt, experienced or questioned something in life, then surely others must have too. That's what this blog is all about -- hopefully relating in some meaningful way -- sharing, if you will, on subjects of an inspirational and human interest nature. Nostalgia will frequently find its way into some of the items...And lots of food for thought. A work in progress, to be sure.

14 December, 2018

MEMORIES OF A LONG-RETIRED SANTA CLAUS...

'Tis the season for me to resurrect a few of my Santa Claus memories and photos. Back in 1990 I was a Santa Claus at the Bramalea City Centre in Brampton. One of my (Santa's) visitors that year was unsuspecting two-year-old granddaughter Alyssa who will celebrate her 30th birthday December 30 this year. Below is a yesteryear flashback clipping from the Toronto Star published about 10 years ago describing tiny tot Adrian Lawrence's first glimpse of Santa Claus (identical setting with me at the shopping mall) that same year and believe it or not I very vividly remember the occasion and the little girl's earpiercing, uncontrolable screems. Adriana would also be 30 years old today. I agree with her grandmother that both photos are "treasures".

THE MAGIC OF PLAYING SANTA AT CHRISTMAS

Once you've played Santa Claus you never totally get it out of your system. When you immerse yourself into the role of the Jolly Old Gent on a legitimate basis, you take on an entirely new perspective of the greatest of all traditional myths.

In truth, not everyone can pull off being a realistic Santa or Santa's helper, depending on the dictates of the occasion. It takes someone with a light heart and a genuine love of children, who himself has never really fully grown up and understands childish fantasy. Most importantly, to make the transformation believable, one has to be the biggest ham imaginable and a bit of a thespian to boot.

Over the years I have played Santa Claus in just about every possible setting and venue -- Sunday School concerts, hospitals, children's parties, company staff parties, community parades and major shopping malls. One of my most memorable experiences as Santa came when I skated out onto arena ice and into a swarm of 200 screaming junior figure skaters ages four to 10 (see photo below from the St. Thomas Times-Journal, circa 1969).

No question about it, there were a few minutes of sheer panic on the ice as I struggled helplessly on my blades against the force of kid power which did not let up until we crushed into the boards at the opposite end of the rink.

"Never again," I vowed...Santa learns the hard way!

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WHAT DO YOU WRITE?

A PREFACE TO WRIGHTS LANE

A lot of what I write on this site borders on the philosophical. To say anything strictly new would be impossible; nor would I presume that my knowledge, ideas and experience would be as valuable as the maxims of the wise and sublime truths which have become a part of the standard thinking and writing. The best, therefore, that anyone can expect to do is to re-introduce the experience of the past, and compile such personal thoughts and extracts as have harmonized with the testimony of earnest and aspiring minds, and present them in a fresh, novel context that hopefully offers some inspiration. In the words of the poet:

"We have gathered posies from other men's flowers,

"Nothing but the thread that binds them is ours."

INTRODUCING SOME OTHER NEW BLOG SITES

DRESDEN: A PERSPECTIVE ON RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN MY HOME TOWN. Read about Anglo-Saxon elitism, the Dawn Settlement, The Underground Railway, Uncle Tom's Cabin and my personal musings on an extremely touchy subject. http://dicktheblogsterremembers.blogspot.ca/

THE AMAZING JIM LONDON STORY: Bad boy high school dropout left home to re-invent himself and become an accomplished PhD. Academic, teacher, athlete, politician, traveler, humanitarian, family man -- he did it all...and more.

http://jimlondonstory.blogspot.ca

BASEBALL: "The game That I Grew Up With". Taking a nostalgic look at the game we oldtimers played as kids back in the 1940s. I think that it will bring back a lot of memories, especially for some of the chums who experienced those wonder years along with me in good old Dresden, Ontario. You don't have to be a baseball lover to enjoy it however.

http://baseballnme.blogspot.ca

...THE WRIGHT STORY

NEWS FLASH!!! INTRODUCING A NEW BLOG SITE: You won't find much in Canadian history books about Britain's transportation of convicts to the New World in the 1700s. In fact, Americans in particular, have rather romantic ideas about how their country was founded.

We’ve long been fond of the mythology surrounding persecuted people freely traveling to the New World and building the greatest country on Earth. But, like all history, it’s much, much messier than that. Our history includes plenty of genocide, slavery, and just a dash of criminally-convicted folk — and the latter may be news to many reading this post.

Honestly, I didn't think much about that part of history either until, much to my surprise and temporary chagrin while doing some family genealogical research, I discovered that my great-great-great grandfather Henry Wright was in fact, one of the "convicts" transported to America as an "indentured servant" in 1763. The sad part of the story is that he was only 18 years of age -- a mere adolescent. The subsequent story that unfolded for me is indeed a remarkable one. To share in "The Wright Story" click https://mywrightstory.blogspot.ca.

WRIGHTS LANE SIGN HAS SPECIAL MEANING FOR OTHERS TOO

Sometimes it is the small things in life that do your heart the most good.

I was working in my front terrace the other evening when two women riding bicycles passed by. We exchanged "hi's". It was one of those lazy, hazy summer nights when people were out and about for casual strolls and exchanging friendly greetings and nods with others they met along the way...It's a small town thing!

Continuing up the street for a short distance, I noticed the cyclists do an abrupt U-turn and head back in my direction. Stopping curbside, one of the women said: "Pardon me, but I have to tell you about your Wrights Lane sign". I thought for a brief second that she was going to make a negative comment about it.

Much to my surprise, however, she went on to explain that she was originally from Burlington and that she had coincidentally lived in a home on a Wrights Lane there. "When my parents retired, they moved to Southampton and I used to visit them. The first time that I drove past your house and saw your Wrights Lane sign, I couldn't believe the warm feeling that it gave me," she explained.

"Both parents are gone now of course and I have since moved here myself. Every time I see your sign it reminds me of my childhood home and assures me that I am now in the right place. I just thought that you should know..." she added.

I thanked her for sharing her story with me and in turn explained to her the history of Wrights Lane in my hometown of Dresden and how I have adopted it not only for my home in Southampton but for one of my web sites and a book that I published some time ago.

Admittedly, not an earth-shattering story, but one that holds special gratification for me.

I had been procrastinating on giving the sign a spruce up this summer, but I will need to get busy now...I have to do it for that lady from Burlington, if for no other reason.

I BELIEVE...

...It is not possible for anyone to understand what their civilization is (and therefore who they are) without an understanding of their roots. Just think about it. All our laws, our morals, our mores, are predicated largely on a Judeo-Christian tradition. The standards and attitudes of our society have been profoundly influenced by the person and the life of Jesus, the Christ. Regardless of our attitude toward religion, a knowledge of what this young man from Nazareth said and did is enormously enriching. You can read all about Him in a book found on the dusty shelves of any library near you.

YOURS JUST FOR THE CLICKING...

TO VIEW SOME OTHER "WRIGHTS LANE" SITES...

* CANCER: One Couple's Journey

http://dicktheblogster2.blogspot.com/

* DRESDEN: Father & Son turn back the clock

http://dicktheblogster3.blogspot.com/ Recently revised.

* JUVENILES enter Sports Hall of Fame

http://dicktheblogster5.blogspot.com/

* FIGURE SKATING DAD...Lived to Write About It

http://dicktheblogster6.blogspot.com/

* THE PERRY FAMILY: My other half

http://dicktheblogster7.blogspot.com/

* A BASEBALL DREAMER

http://dicktheblogster8.blogspot.com/

* MY PAINTINGS

http://dicktheblogster9.blogspot.com/

* A DREAM DATE

http://dicktheblogster10.blogspot.com/

* BOY WHO MADE A BIG CATCH

http://dicktheblogster12a.blogspot.com/

**TO CATCH UP ON PAST POST ITEMS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED, CLICK BLOG ARCHIVES BY THE MONTH OR THE YEAR (2008 TO 2014), SEE BELOW.

WRIGHTS LANE

14 December, 2018

MEMORIES OF A LONG-RETIRED SANTA CLAUS...

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JESUS LOVES DOGS TOO

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