I Was Santa Today

It's currently 12:35 a.m., so it's officially Merry Christmas!

But I must share what I did today (er, yesterday). I decided to become Santa. See:

Okay, backstory. I'm a teacher and I get a horde of baked goods and little cutsie things from my students for Christmas--the great majority of which I could never possibly eat or use. So, it was Christmas Eve, I'm trying to clean up my apartment, and I realize that I'm overwhelmed with student-given baked goods and cutsie things. They were dominating my humble dining room table. Why horde things that you're never going to eat or use? Why not give them to people who might actually eat/use them? So, I took it upon myself to do a grand re-gifting expedition.

I repackaged the goods in recycled Christmas gift bags, donned my Santa hat, and hit the town. My first stop was the fire department. They're always on duty, and I thought they'd appreciate some Christmas goodies. The door was opened by a handsome, clean-cut fire fighter (is there a correlation between firefighting and clean-cut handsomeness?). There were about ten or fifteen firefighters milling around. I announced that I just wanted to spread some Christmas cheer and that I appreciate all they do. I wished them a Merry Christmas and exited as mysteriously as I'd entered.

The next stop was my favorite Starbucks. I love Starbucks, period, but there is a particular Starbucks that is very close to my heart. It's so cozy and inviting--it's the best Starbucks location in Montgomery. Anyway, I gave everyone behind the counter a little gift and they were all so surprised and grateful that they offered me a free drink. I turned it down (I promise that I didn't do that to get a free drink!), but they insisted, so I opted for a pumpkin spice latte.

I had one gift bag left, so I went by my favorite Mexican restaurant, expecting to see the owner (who usually mans the front during lunch hour), but was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a certain drop-dead gorgeous waiter who works there. I am not kidding, this guy looks like a Roman god. He's actually Dominican, is tall and well-built, has dark curly hair, lovely dark eyes, and a perfect smile. Honestly, I didn't think he worked there anymore, so I really was surprised to see him. After I regained my composure, I told him this was my favorite Mexican restaurant and just wanted to drop something off to say Feliz Navidad. "Oh, you didn't have to do that," he said, flashing that brilliant smile.

I thought to myself that seeing the guy was my reward.

For God so loved the world that he gave . . .

Merry Christmas, everyone!