Those were the invaluable school times when we, the innocent chaps were made to do certain eeky things that we can’t even think of doing today. And one of those things, those sweet old memories, when I was the Santa Claus (not the only Santa Claus) to adorn the Christmas Celebrations of 2001.
It was 20th of December when Mrs. Chawla asked me to become the Santa Claus. It had been a tradition in our school that one of the chubby cheek chaps would get himself into a big red coat with cotton all over his face and move around dancing with children during the Christmas celebrations. So this time it was me. I reluctantly accepted the proposal after it had been turned down by Vaibhav, for he had done the job last year.
I remember the day when I came home and told my parents about this. Gaush! Those smiles being thrown on me, and my sister was all the more exited. She always wanted me to see as a Santa Claus I think. I was to get my apron prepared myself. So my mum was given the tough task and I was given a big long coat and an old salwar to wear. Something was made into a big ‘Santa ki Bori’ and I stuffed it with old newspapers to make it look really Big. And yea.. how can I forget the wonderful red cap with a lining of cotton wool.
So, the day had arrived. A day before that I had come to know that unlike the previous years, this time there had to be four Santa’s dancing in the school. One for each house and there was a proposed competition among them. The competition of “Dressing up of Santa Claus”
I was there in the chemistry lab. A young lad with no beard and confused eyeballs studded into to be Santa’s face. Vaibhav and one of my seniors (a girl) were given the task of giving this Santa Singh a make over to Santa Claus. To begin with I got into my apron and was made to sit on one of lab’s ‘interesting’ stools. (I call them interesting because their structure always appealed to me) Then the senior ma’am started her work. Those soft hands applying hair fixer on my face. I think I felt something fishy in myself, but I think I was too young to analyze certain things. So let it be… The cotton wool was cut into Santa’s long fluffy beard and was fitted in the proper place; some more cotton was made into big bushy eyebrows and was given the destined place. Some cotton on the sides of my face and another large chunk of it to make some hair falling on the back through the cap. I had not seen a mirror ever since. Finally, some more cotton, and a lot more cotton was nicely placed to anywhere they could find a place. Even my coat was given a lining of fluffy cotton. (Sorry people, I don’t have a pic of myself in the dress up)
Then someone told that the Santa of St. Mary’s house, Simran, had stuffed some pillows under his coat, and hence I had to do the same. I refused. Anyways, finally my turn step into to the Christmas grounds was here. I had to dance and move along with a Christmas song being sung. I was nicely taught corruption before I went off. I was told to ‘surely’ distribute sweets among the judges. They say is ‘isse extra marks miltey hain.’ I was afraid of just one thing, “yar vahan koi meri daadi na khinch de.”
Anyhow, the song started first, and I was signaled to make my move. So off I went… HO HO HO HA HA HA… Dancing around… As I was told, I made my first move towards the judges. Meri itni fati hui thi k mujhe pata hi nahi chala k kaun judge hai aur kaun baki teachers. Bass sabb ko achi rishwat de di.. ;) Then I moved on to throw sweets to the small small kiddoos, who stood around me fighting for a single toffee. During those times, we found ourselves really lucky to get a 50p vali toffee from the dear Santa. And today to some were really lucky to have 50p vali éclairs and 1Re vale ‘Natkhat’ k lifafe… I think the children were deceived by the big bora on my back. Abb unhe kaun bataye ki isme toffees nahi newspapers hain ;)
The best part in our Christmas celebrations was the Plum cake. A small slice of it that we got after the function was over and we had to retreat to our classrooms. Har bar socta tha k kisi tarah se mujhe do piece mil jayein. :D Kintu yeh mumkin nahi ho pata tha :(
I can still smell the fragrance of that delicious cake. Lovely unforgettable times…. They never come back :)
Merry Christmas Guys!!!
