Santa Claus' comes to Smyrna

Saturday morning, I woke up quickly and quickly got myself ready to make my way down to the Smyrna Opera House. The night before I had spent an evening there watching a performance from CoroAllegro, Delaware's premier chamber choir from Wilmington. They sung beautiful a series of mostly uncommonly heard holiday songs, but all in A Cappella. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance. It only enhanced my feelings that I had when I saw Santa and Mrs. Claus enter the Smyrna Opera House! Initially, I had told myself how nice it would be to see the young children react to Santa. After all, Matt was spending time with his dad, and has outgrown the visits with Santa. I arrived just in time to make my way up to the third floor art gallery where I could help make a table up with crafts for the 75 children scheduled for the morning. I found a few Smyrna's high school art students that looked familiar and gave them all hugs. We spoke of the spring musical yet to be organized, and gave the tables a quick look over and the kids filtered in. All the children had their parents, brothers, and sisters and some grandparents. Quietly, to my surprise, they found the crafts they were interested in and went to work. Ten minutes later Santa comes through the door! I found that I was first in line to see him? It took a few moments for me to realize I wasn't 8 years old and that I should move aside! I thought, "Gee, I even know Santa personally, and I'm still excited!" I took lots of photos to be submitted to the local paper. After the craft, and a visit on Santa's lap, the children walked downstairs to the second floor where the theatre stage is located. We all had a sing-a-long with Mrs. Claus until Santa arrived for the final song "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." He told us all that he hoped we wouldn't be awake when he visited for he had lots of work to do. Off he went out the side door. Next the audience watched "Rudolph" the movie - our first showing at the SOH since the 50s.

Saturday evening, the same night, I went to dinner and then a high school play. I picked up a church girlfriend, and we went to the new "improved" Smyrna Diner and in came....you guessed it.....A REAL Mr. & Mrs. Claus. It just started snowing, when they came in dressed in red velvet, and Mrs. Claus had on a white fur coat. He had a real beard, and she had real white hair. I couldn't believe they were dining just across from us. I tried not to stare, but I couldn't help it. As they made their way to pay their bill, all the children noticed Santa a ran out of their seats to surround him. He was so delighted. It was a scene that just made my heart burst. I was so emotional, that I was afraid Santa would see my tears, so I turned to my friend and went outside to get air! Pulling myself together, I came inside to quickly to say Merry Christmas to Santa and then he disappeared...

The performance at the high school was well done! It was a who-dunnit called "I Bet Your Life." As I drove home in the cold snow-flurried weather, I was thinking what a wonderful life I have and how good it feels to still feel young!