A Christmas nod to O'Henry

So do you have O'Henry moments?

One summer we spent a few days at Jackson Hole. In one of the shops there was a darling rotund Santa on the shelf. At the time we were collecting Father Christmas figures. I went back later to buy it and they said they'd just sold it. I gave a description of Mr. J. and they said yes, he was the one. I tried to act surprised Christmas morning.

Early in our marriage, I bought him a Helen Reddy album for Christmas (LP! if you can believe it). And he bought the same thing for me. Ditto for a John Denver album and a Victor Borge book (but the one Mr. J bought for me was SIGNED), and then, a couple of years ago, we each unknowingly bought a CD of Gentri (very good a capella group) for each other.

These coincidences (I don't believe in coincidences) did not involve any selling of watches or cutting of hair, (as in The Gift of the Maji by O'Henry), so there were no true sacrifices involved, but still, great memories.

I hope you make good memories this holiday.

The difference a year or two can make....

Sometime between the two pictures, my best friend told me the awful truth about Santa. 

More exciting than a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer

Salt Lake Tribune December 25, 2010

Balloon carrying Santa blows away

by Nate Carlisle

This Santa Claus might want to stick to sleighs. A man in a Santa costume received a wild ride Friday when the hot air balloon carrying him blew across Midvale. The Santa and a pilot were supposed to land the balloon at Midvalley Elementary School as part of a fundraiser. But the balloon landed hard, and the pilot fell out of the basket, Midvale police Sgt. Torin Chambers said. With less weight in the basket, the balloon took off with the Santa still inside. The balloon traveled 1.7 miles before landing at Brighton Place Apartments. Chambers said citizens helped police hold it on the ground when it reached the apartments. "Everyone was strying to save Santa," Chambers said, adding that no one was injured.