Westfiield Works Wonders

This should be dated November 13, 2005. I thought it was a descent day 120 visits on Santa's lap. I have 2 Sundays that I don't start in the Chair til 11:00 am. normally this would be a 7:00 pm close. But Westfield Works Wonders was scheduled for this evening. Now the way I understand it is several organizations well tickets for this fund raising event, and the proceeds go to charities. In order to get in the mall after 7:00 you needed the ticket and were given a wrist band a special program chocolate bars. The merchants would give special discounts to those with the wristbands. There were 2 chocolate bars that had a special ticket in them worth $500.00, they had several bands a really tall angel, a really tall guy named the snow mizer, Willy Wonka, and Westy the kangaroo. They had a variety of musical groups there performing in different places around the mall.

Then there were some other VIP'S a council man and even Santa was considered a VIP. The councilman was introduced and he said a few things then the cheerleading squad from a local high school whose mascot is the cougars, did a special cheer for the councilman. I thought he must really be liked if those girls were doing that for him. Then Andy the General Manager for Plaza Bonita introduced me, Santa like I really needed an introduction. Everyone there knew who I was, what they didn't know was I was given a special assignment. I was to say now it's time to get the holiday spirit going and I needed the audience to help me by saying HO HO HO on the third one a confetti cannon was fired off. It sure took a lot of work on the part of Westfield employees in all the departments to get this big of an event going.

I know there were sure a lot of people in the Mall. After leaving the stage I was asked to be in some photos with the VIP's. We had no sooner got done with the Photos and I started handing out candy canes, and the funniest part of the day maybe even the entire season took place. Evidently I had missed giving a little girl maybe about 3 to 4 years old a candy cane and she was trying to get my attention whatever she had been doing wasn't working. The next thing I know is I am getting this big swat right on the behind. She had my attention immediately as I turned around to see what was going on I looked down and she is looking up at me with this expression on her face that was saying loud and clear hey mister I want one of those candy canes you are giving out and I have had it with you ignoring me. So she received her candy cane immediately. Lupita walked with me through the mall, handing out candy canes and working our way back to the Santa set. We did not have many people coming by for pictures with Santa just a few, more just wanted to visit with Santa.

The manager of the Picture People, a place that does regular portraits, came by a gave me a coupon for a free portrait by them. I amy have to do that so that I will have a nice one for my web page. When I left the mall a little after nine I felt like I was walking on stubs, seems my new used boots that I had fixed up for Santa boots sure don't like my feet or is it that my feet don't like the boots. I was ready to get home and call it a night. Lots more to come we are only at day 2 and still have 41 to go.