An Entertaining Story For The Holidays

If you’re like me, the holidays are the setting for some of your favorite stories. Whether you are a fan of “A Christmas Carrol,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” everyone has their favorite. I’ve got about 2 weeks before my dad gets in the mood for “Holiday In,” and I’m currently searching for my copy of “Die Hard,” (which is set at Christmas, therefore a holiday movie.) This time of year sets the stage for engaging stories including the accidental adventures we find ourselves in as friends return, songs are sung, and the silent snow pushes us all closer together. There is a warmth to these kinds of communal stories that no fire can compete with. As we dive more deeply into the season, I thought I would share such a story with you. It has always put a smile on my face during these cold, overcast days.

A friend of mine, Dave had been trying to figure out what to get his wife for Christmas. See, it was their first Christmas together as a married couple and he wanted it to be something special. Unfortunately, the economy being what it is, Dave was having a hard time saving up. The company was keeping everyone to the minimum and overtime was not looking good. We talked about trying to make something or investing in a small token that could be expanded on latter like a pearl that would be added to until it was a necklace in a few months. I even contacted my woodworker of a brother to see how quickly he could throw something together but nothing was working out.

Finally, Dave got an idea. There is always some extra, temporary work to be found around the holidays, especially if you can pass for, let’s say “jolly sized.” On top of that, Dave has always been good with kids. Spending a few hours a night as mall Santa wouldn’t be that bad. And there’s always cookies nearby.

Something you should know about Dave’s wife though, she gets tunnel vision sometimes. When she gets an idea, it’s hard to shift her off of it. This makes her abundantly fun to surprise because she never sees it coming. With that in mind, Dave told her that he was forced to work late rather than disclosing the Santa gig. She would never suspect he was spending his nights making sure their first Christmas was as memorable as possible.

Dave was half right. She didn’t suspect that he was secretly a Santa. What she did suspect was that he was sleeping around. She called the office one night and found out Dave wasn’t there. Her tunnel vision kicks in again and she calls up the Lucy to her Ethel, Natalie. They enlist Natalie’s psychiatrist/hypnotist husband, and somehow they even get the police involved.

Here’s the best part, none of that story is true. I made it up. Well, I made parts of it up. The rest is by Jack Sharkey and Leo W. Sears. It’s the plot to “Sorry! Wrong Chimney!” The current showing at Winneshiek Theater in Freeport. If you want to see how the story ends, I highly recommend you check out the showings On December 2, 3, 9, and 10 at 7:30 plus a 2:00 matinee on the 10th. Go ahead and give them a call at 815-232-7023.

That’s the beauty of these stories though, it doesn’t matter if they are true or not. The value comes in the warmth they bring to you and your friends as you’re taking a breath form the outside world.