Joni & Santa: A Pictorial Retrospective

I actually wrote and posted a similar entry on my blog about two years ago, but I felt it needed some updating to honor my real Santa Claus - my Daddy - who I lost earlier this year.

For nine years, my Mom dutifully dressed me in my finest Christmas wear and took me to see Santa Claus at the Rich's at Greenbriar Mall (and once at the Downtown Rich's when my kindergarten choir performed on the Bridge at the lighting of the Great Tree). Here is the chronicle of those visits.

1963 - So, this is where it all began. My first visit as a 3 month old in 1963. I'm clearly making a lot of noise and irritating Santa, while my brother Steve is a picture perfect boy scout. This picture pretty much sums up my family dynamic from that point on.

1964 - Still making noise and being irritating....

1965 - although, admit it - you'd cry too if Santa was letting everyone see your underpants?

1966 - I can haz a Christmas Tree Candy??? (See? Before Candy = No Happys. After Candy - Happys!)

1967 - Dude! He gave me candy again, and I wasn't even good this year!

1968 - Hey, if my brother can dress up like a boy scout, I can be an angelic little choir girl. (This one is the only departure from the Greenbriar tradition - this one was taken at the Downtown Rich's. Man, Santa really got around.)

1969 - I think that I'm slowly starting to notice that the beard is a fake. But I'm totally digging that crocheted vest over my blouse and the plaid pleated skirt.

1970 - Now this Santa sort of creeps me out. I think he's sort of sketchy looking, don't you? But, on a happier note, my aunt Charlsie made that top/dress for me. It was one of my favorites.

1971 - And this Santa just isn't even trying - I mean, his mustache is below his top lip and his belly is pushed up above his belt like man boobs. Come on dude, this isn't a tough gig - just sit in the chair and make sure your fake hair and stomach stays in place. I'm thinking this guy had thrown back a few too many before shift down at the Happy Hermans mid-mall.

Just after this one, my stupid, mean classmate Ronnie Powell ruined Christmas forever when he told us all the truth about Santa. I hated that kid. Of course, in relaying this story to my childhood best friend Karen, I found out that I promptly came home from school that day and told her what Ronnie Powell had done, thereby ruining Santa Claus for her. Damn me and my gossiping. Sorry Karen :-(

2009 - So here I am last Christmas with the real (and very best) Santa that there ever was. I love you Daddy, and I appreciate all you did to make each Christmas special for our family. It won't be the same without you this year.

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane with Santa, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

12 of 12 - December 2010

After missing last month (where it was the 15th before I realized that the 12th was long gone), I'm back with a 12 of 12 for December. My day was a little colder than it was for 12 of 12 creator Chad Darnell. Chad ran the Honolulu Marathon today as part of a group that raised over $600,000 for Aids Project Los Angeles. Way to go Chad! Love you and am so proud of you. :-)

So, now on to my 12....

12:30 a.m. - Speaking of men I love - Paul McCartney and Seth Meyers on Weekend Update. This two parts of my dream threesome. LOL.


12:57 a.m. - Love it when he sings Get Back, cause I like to pretend I'm the Jojo he is singing about.

12:20 p.m. - Woke up to a dusting of snow this morning. Just a little on the front porch...

12:22 p.m. - and a little more out back on the north side of the house where it is shadier.


1:15 p.m. - My poor orchid has seen better days. I'm like the kiss of death to any plant.


4:17 p.m. - Went shopping at Pier One for an ornament for our office Christmas lunch ornament exchange. I always like their airplane ornaments, but I went in a different direction for the gift ornament.

4:20 p.m. - and the Pink Pigs were cute. They reminded me of the Rich's Pink Pig from when I was a kid. I should have bought one for myself, but decided to wait. Hopefully, they will still have plenty after Christmas when they are 75% off.

4:23 p.m. - Got some Jingle Bells so that next time I say I'll be somewhere "with bells on" I can really do it.

4:45 p.m. - This is what poinsettias look like before I buy them and take them home and kill them with my kiss of death.

6:11 p.m. - Up to the attic to get down some of my Christmas stuff. One of my friends is supposed to come over and help me with my tree tomorrow. I didn't have one last year because I was so sick, and I'm hoping that putting one up this year will help with the depression over losing Daddy.


6:15 p.m. - Speaking of Daddy, since we had a shared love of aviation, most of my ornaments are airplanes and a lot of them came from him. I have about 30-35 different airplanes for my tree, along with all of the Delta ornaments designed by Christopher Radko.


6:16 p.m. - I also have a lot of red cardinals for the tree, which you can see among the ornaments in this photo. Dad's mother (Nanny Bug) use to have red cardinal ornaments that clipped on to her tree and I found some like them a few years ago in a retro shop and I bought them all. I figure that the fly like airplanes do, so they still work with my theme. Also, the little red airplane in the middle is one of my favorites from Dad because it reminds me of the Red Baron airplane (Yes, it has stars instead of the crosses, but we both got the same Red Baron vibe from it.) It was a great call back to my youth when Daddy gave me my very first 45 record - The Royal Guardsman's Snoopy vs. The Red Baron - along with my first record player, when I was about 4 years old. I bet I played that song 1,000 times and Daddy never complained. He'd even dance with me during the instrumental bridge. Damn I miss him.

So, there we go. If I ever get the tree up and finished, I'll try to follow up with some photos of the finished product. Hope you all enjoyed, and Merry Christmas (and happy 12th) to you all.