Traffic at the Santa set has picked up quite a bit and people are obviously are feeling much more confidence than last year. Lots of good children, lots of interesting requests, and we are still having fun!!
My day as I see it - I leave my hovel (AKA "the cave") walk across the back shipping yard (dodging UPS, FedEx, and other delivery trucks) and enter the back walkway. This is where all deliveries go, where employees enter and leave their work place, and where I stand and wait for an escort to bring me through the throngs of people and onto the set. Why I need an escort I have no idea, but I have been escorted both in San Jose and here in Fresno for every entrance and exit. Not that the escorts are anything large or threatening - in fact some of my escorts are smaller than I am!! Anyway, I finally get to the set and settle into the chair. They take a few pics of me to test the camera and other equipment and then open the door for visitors. And the party is on - kids come in, see me and either scream and run away or tackle me at the knees, then we try and get three pics with them looking at the camera......and smiling, they let me know what they want for Christmas and then they leave with a candy cane. Speaking of candy canes - we almost ran out of the little curved sweet a couple of days ago..........thankfully management came through with another 2000 canes and we are good to go. So after a few hours of ringing my handbells (and driving most of the retailers and my crew nuts with the sound - not to mention becoming deaf myself) its time to leave the set with my escort and return to my hovel for lunch or coffee with Ed and the dogs. Two breaks of 45 minutes each (except on Sunday - our short day - where we only get one break of 30 minutes) makes for a long day.
We are all looking forward to Thanksgiving and Black Friday the next day - NOT!!! For those of you who have only heard about Black Friday here is a rundown of things to happen. Following a great rest day of watching football games and eating turkey on Thanksgiving (Thursday) everyone gets ready to take on the world and go shopping at the nearest mall for the best prices of the year. TVs for $200 (or less), computers for next to nothing, clothes/jewelry/games/etc are all on sale and most malls open early with huge savings for the early bird. The mall here in Fresno plans on opening at midnight.....thankfully I do not have to be there until 10AM!! Most of the crew will be given a couple of hours off to go shopping. This does not apply to Santa dammitt! Needless to say, Black Friday (so named for the day when all retailers try and make enough money that their bottom line goes from red to black) is not for the weak hearted. Malls are usually crowded beyond belief and there have been people actually trampled to death as doors open. Fights are common and tempers are short. Should be a great time!!!!
Ed has been shopping a bit and here's what he has found. Costco is a great place for all the usual things but you know that they also carry tamales (actually quite good)..........and cheap beer!!!!! I knew we kept our Costco membership current for a reason!
There will be a new (and different) picuture posted tomorrow - something to look forward to!!!!
Take care
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