Holliday Tradition

Deb used to like to buy a bunch of coloring books and boxes of crayons, wrap them up and take them to the homeless shelter's, School With No Name every year.  We did this for, like, 20 years. This year?  We ran out of time.

We used to get an, Angel from the Angel tree.  Didn't have time.

When Danny was in school over here at Viewmont, the school Social Worker world put out the word about kids who needed coats, or their family needed help at Christmas.

Now that he's in high school, we didn't get that word.

This year, we spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas for a soccer tournament with a team from Park City that Danny and his buddy, Trenton had been invited to, "guest play" for.  It was an honor for them, as the PCSC plays in a higher division than our boys.

Two weeks later, my friend, Lisa Landry the comedian invited, Deb and I to come to see her in Las Vegas.  She doesn't play Las Vegas usually.  They, most of the time require her to stay for a whole week, and she doesn't want to be away from her husband and, "The Devil Tot", her son for a week at a time.

It was nice of her to think of us, since it was close to Utah. But Deb decided to stay home and deal with Christmas baking and shopping, etc.  So I took my friend, Phil to the show.  It was a good, "Boy's Night Out" in Las Vegas, and we never ever went NEAR a stripper bar.  Just us, cigars and some whiskey before going to see Lisa's funny show.  She knocked em' dead, by the way.

I've done my Christmas shopping.  I don't like the holiday anymore. And it's not just because I'm a, "Godless" Atheist.  I USED to be religious, and December 25 is my birthday!  I share it with Jimmy Buffett and some guy called, "Jesus".  Or so I hear.

I've actually SEEN Jimmy Buffett...

But, I still believe in helping my fellow man.  ANY time of the year, but this time of the year seems to have a much bigger impact.  I don't believe in God, or any of the superstitious anymore.  But I sure don't want any kid to wake up on Christmas morning and have nothing to celebrate.

So, I called, Santa Clause.  I have his cell phone number.

You think I'm kidding?

Well, I have a buddy who makes his living working for the state, and was at one time  my partner.  But he makes a BUNCH of his yearly income being Santa from November through December.

He's a right wing, Republican, gun nut, Mormon!  He hangs out with Ted Nugent, for crying out loud!  We have NOTHING in common!  And I love him to death, and would take a bullet for him.  And I buy MY ammunition from him.

I asked him to tell me of someone who needed a hand.  Someone who needed help, that he knew of from his, "Santa" duty.  Not some guy who put $1.6 million on lay away at, "Wally World" hoping someone would pay it off and he could sell it off after Christmas.

He said, "I'll get back to you."

As well he should.

Later that day, he calls me back with a name, and a, lay away account number for a woman who has put some stuff on lay away at the Woods Cross, K Mart.  I took that information, and my credit card up to Woods Cross and paid that sucker off.  Just cause I could.

That's my new holiday tradition.  To help someone who's in need of help, and make Christmas good for the kids they have.

I don't want you to think I'm a great guy for doing this.  I want you to know that even though I'm an Atheist, I still have morals, and feel empathy, and want kids to have a good Christmas.  That you don't need to believe the fables, to learn from the parable.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, Happy New Year.  No matter WHAT you believe.