I am always a little depressed this time of year knowing that Christmas is about family which I really don’t have.I thought I would try to get out of this crappy mood by playing Santa Clause at our apt’s Christmas party. I went and borrowed a Santa outfit and even bought about 20+ stuffed toys to hand out to the little ones.It was agreed to have the kids line up in orderly fashion to recieve their gift from Santa.Well,what was supposed to be fun-filled event turned into a kaotic Christmas fiasco. As soon as the lil gaffers saw Santa Ho Ho Hoing through the courtyard with a bag of goodies,they all charged.I was immediately surrounded by 20+ screeming,grabbing,pushing kids trying to grab a toy out of the bag.One kid thought he would get my attention by pulling off my beard.I looked up to see some of the parents walking over to rescue me.NOT.They too wanted to get in on the action before the gifts were gone.I looked over to the other parents hoping someone would help out poor old Santa.They just stood their with ammusing grins on their faces as if to say,“Look at the lil kids raping Santa,how cute.” I stood up on the bench to keep the bag out of reach and started dispensing toys.I handed out the Winnie the Poo to a cute little girl who was patiently waiting for her gift only to have another boy try to snatch it out of her hands which resulted in stuggle that ended with poor poo’s arm getting torn off. The girl naturally gets up set and starts crying,so I give her another toy see goes off crying to her mother.I look over again at the brain dead parents hoping they could sense my desperation for some help with crowd control…Denied. Maintaining my composure, I got all the toys handed out and made a quick get away.I returned to my apt thinking what a bunch of %#@@!!! I calmed down with a smoke and a beer and returned to the party. There were no thank yous or nothing from the kids or parents,just one mother wanting to know why her little darling didn’t get a gift and why that boy had two.I said maybe she should ask the little boy to give her precious little kid one of his.She just sneered and walked away.By this time, what little Christmas spirt I had left was gone. So much for trying to share the Christmas Spirit and the gift of giving.More like the the gift for grabbing.The only good thing about Dec 25th for me is it reminds my that New Years Eve is just a week away.However,I do hope that everyone else out there has a good one.
I played Father Christmas at Taipei 101 a couple of years ago, handing out sweets etc. I was somewhat pissed off at all the adults - little old ladies mostly, you know, the ones that push past you on the bus - pushing through the kids to get their pathetic little candy. I did my best to ensure avoid giving them to them.
The whole experience got much better and more ‘realistic’ (in the sense of living up to the jolly, alcoholic Father Christmas we know and love), when we went downstairs to Jason’s and tried all the free booze. We were much more in character after that.
Which reminds me. Someone told me that in the States you leave cookies and milk out for Father Christmas. Are we talking about the same man? He’s a raging alcoholic which is why we leave the much more festive brandy and mince pies out in the UK. Besides, once you’ve accepted who Santa really is, what parent in their right mind would be interested in cookies and milk?
Next time, if there is a next time; bring a cattle prod…one of the electrical ones that zap.
Back you little devils! Back! Zap Zap
Seriously though, I feel your pain. I dressed up as Santa too at my new job. I walked into a room of about 60 kids all eyeing me like wild animals eyeing fresh meat. There was mass disorder, pushing, shoving, hitting, kicking, grabbing, stealing, and insults being spewed froth…if it wasn’t for the Chinese Teachers coming to the rescue one of the little devils might have had a missing ear or two.
All over cheap little plastic Christmas pens, erasers, and rulers. :loco:
Later there was a Christmas dinner party (Taiwanese Style) for the parents and their kids. I attended with my wife…we were lucky to escape with our lives a half hour into it. Surprisingly the kids were good, but the parents were terrible…trampling each other to get to the free food buffet and candy. :fume: :loco:
No wonder why so many kids are ill-mannered here…just look at their parents!
HAHA hilarious, but sadly serious !! Dont forget TAiwanese practice HERD mentality !! YOu have to be able to control the whole herd if you wanna do something like that !! And if you cant control EVERYONE there (no matter their ages) you better not try !!
in that situ Santa assumes the position of authority (of the whole group, parents included) and would be EXPECTED to BARK OUT COMMANDS. LIke OK PEOPLE, GET IN LINE !! And should be a commanding figure (like Rambo).
you are to be commended for doing what you did tho. But you need some others in on it to help in crowd control.
taiwanese kids AND their parents can be VERY UNRULY not like the Japanese for example.
and just get on with whatever kind of xmas