I guess you could say we double-dipped seeing Santa tonight.
The town's tree lighting was at the firehouse at 6pm. We left there after seeing Santa an hour later and drove past the UPC. Kenny noticed the lights on and I told him they were holding a book and gift sale this weekend. He wanted to check it out so, even though I bought something there on Friday, I took them inside.
There were a few families inside, decorating the church. The congregation doesn't have many families1 so, for all I know, most of the members were on hand. Reverend Pike came over and greeted us right away. We picked out and paid for four books, totaling $20. The lady who made the sale said, "I don't know how much these books cost, so I might be cheating you" and I said that so long as the proceeds go to the church, it doesn't matter to me.
Then she whispered that Santa was due to arrive at any moment and wouldn't we like to stay? I felt a twinge of guilt seeing how we just saw Santa across town but as they seemed small of number, why not supplement the modest turnout? It gave me more time to visually snoop around while the boys sat in a pew reading their books.
The pipe organ fills the wall at the head of the church. The pulpit is front and center with a piano off stage left. The kitchen is in a room behind there and a dining room seems situated in a mirror image. Unless the rooms adjoin, that could be. An almost-to-the-ceiling Christmas tree was up front to our left, decorated in white, gold and silver.
When Santa entered, my kids did not hesitate to join the other children up front. He talked with them for quite a while and they answered his questions. As he visited with other children, I noticed Kenny and Timmy getting up on the platform behind Santa and even approaching the pulpit which had a large book open on it. I had told them not to go up there but since other kids were doing it, they couldn't resist.
Santa had them sing a couple Christmas songs and pose for a photo by the tree. Then he was off and we left too, to be surprised by the falling of light and fluffy snow. I'll see whether we might fit one of their Christmas Eve services into our schedule this year. I think Presbyterians have very cozy Christmas Eve traditions - perhaps we'll see.
1 At the rear of the church are small cubby holes marked for each family ... this is common in small churches ... and in several I noticed a box of church envelopes ... from the same company that produces ours.
cf. St. Nicholas
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