I don’t know if anyone noticed or cared about the Santa Claus tree topper we have on the top of the tree, but he’s new. And I went through quite a few emotional ups and downs to get him.
It all started Thanksgiving weekend, while Adam was at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Mike and I went on a date and found ourselves stuffed full of Mexican food, and needing a place to walk it off. We went to a true hidden gem of a home store in Greensboro where we could have walked miles and still not seen everything. The Christmas section was extensive, and as we were perusing the aisles I noticed something I’d never seen before: a Santa Claus tree topper!
We don’t like angels as tree toppers, and all of the light up stars seemed cheap looking. Mike vetoed a big bow with pretty ribbons hanging down, and I wasn’t really digging a snowflake. This beautiful, pagan looking Santa with his lantern and bag of foliage was amazing! He didn’t even have the classic red Coca-Cola suit on. I fell instantly in love and wanted to buy it immediately. Mike did not.
So I agreed to try to find a Santa tree topper that lit up or something better to put on top of the tree. I looked around for a couple of weeks and everything was either over $50 or just didn’t work.
Last weekend when we were setting up the tree, I told him I had to have the Santa tree topper. He must come home with us do you mind if I go get him okay bye be right back!!
Off I went to the home store to get my coveted prize. As soon as I walked in I could see something was not quite right. The copious amounts of Christmas decor had been picked clean. Everything was on sale at almost clearance prices. It did not look good. When I got to the tree topper aisle my worst fears were realized: the Santa tree toppers were gone.
About a dozen angels were left standing, but then I saw something. A reddish coat sticking out from behind a skirt. It was a Santa! But not the one I wanted. This guy had a bright red coat, a horn and a bag of presents.
This is not the guy that I went there to find!
Too red and white. Not forest-y enough. Just not the guy that I fell in love with! I took him off the shelf anyway because damn it I was leaving there with a Santa Claus tree topper whether it was the perfect one or not!
In a last ditch effort to find the one I wanted, I wandered around the Christmas displays at the front of the store. There were four giant wooden platforms with various Christmas decorations, trees, statues, etc on them. I remembered seeing some of the toppers there so I thought I’d give it a try. I went through the first one. Nothing. Second, still nothing. By the third one I was steadying myself to buy the second-best Santa and be happy that I could even find one. It was like the giant room of knick knacks that Dorothy has to go through in Return To Oz to find Tik-Tok. (Bonus points if you actually know what I’m talking about.)
Then I saw it. Just like Dorothy finds her beloved Tik-Tok, my beautiful Lantern Santa was staring at me from the platform! And at the exact same time, a sweet old lady started reaching for something in its general vicinity. Noo!!!!!
I seriously wanted to do a Die Hard action move and jump in front of her to grab that Santa. Then I’d jump up, shout obscenities about it being MINE! All mine!!!
I didn’t though. It turns out she was reaching for an angel just above Santa’s head. Heck yes nice lady!!! Thanks for leaving my Santa alone! I kind of, um, lunged at Lantern Santa at that point, and held him just a little too close to my chest.
“I can’t believe I found him!” I exclaimed, to nobody really but Sweet Old Lady was still right there.
“Oh that’s nice. I’m glad you did.” replied Sweet Old Lady, very nicely making no mention that I was a crazy lady hugging a Santa Claus tree topper in a home store.
I returned Horn Santa, bought Lantern Santa, and off we went so he could take his rightful place at the top of our tree.
He rode up front with me because he’s family now.
And he looks awesome at the top of our tree:
The Wild Williamsons 