Thursday, December 21, 2006

Further Escapades of Christmas Day On Hinchinbrook Island...

Christmas Day arrived amidst all its fanfare. After bouncing back from our Christmas Eve celebrations that carried on into the wee small hours of Christmas morning, the guests, my staff and I were ready for a hectic (for us) but fun (for us and them) day. I had volunteered, David, my head chef to be Santa Claus. Now, you must remember Hinchinbrook Island is in tropical North Queensland. It was hot! David, not a slim young man by any shape or form but who had a sense of madness and humour as large as his body, willingly accepted my decree. We had great fun dressing him in a Santa's costume (I have no idea where I found the costume!), adding more cushions to his already bulky frame.

I'd organised small gifts for the guests, who included a few children. My older brother was working with me at the time. For once, he had to obey me as I was his 'boss'! He 'volunteered' as Santa's Helper! Some help he turned out to be! We loaded up a huge laundry sack with presents. Graham, my brother arrived with a ladder to enable Santa to climb upon the rather expansive roof of the restaurant/bar/kitchen. Of course, this all occurred in the heat of the midday sun! What do they say about "Mad dogs and Englishmen"? Well, we were neither but we were insane Aussies!

David aka Santa, in all his glory ran around the roof, "Ho-Ho-Hoing" all the way, much to the delight of our guests, amongst whom was a Japanese family! I bet they've never forgotten the sight of Santa upon the roof in the heat of summer!

It was time for Santa to descend to begin distributing the presents among the already hysterical guests! However, the performance was to get worse or funnier! Santa's Helper, ladder under his arm, was at one end of the building, propping the ladder against the guttering to enable Santa to climb down, except everytime Santa's Helper was on one side of the building, Santa was on the opposite side. They just couldn't sychronise their movements and positions. This went on for many minutes. As the moments went by, the laughter grew louder and Santa's face grew redder from, not only the heat of the day, but from his bulky attire. There was great 'to-do' going on. All of us watching the hilarious antics of these two had tears running down our faces, pains in our stomachs from laughing as we strangled, gasping for air!

Finally, Santa and his Helper connected around about where the radio mast stood aloft on the wall outside my office, amongst the gas bottles. It didn't end there! As Santa began his descent he dropped the sack full of presents! Naturally, it landed on the head of my brother!

Eventually, the presents were distributed with much ado. Champagne corks popped and champagne flowed freely. The fun continued throughout lunch. I've never seen such happy guests. I'll always remember, particularly, the Japanese family. I'm sure they'd never experienced anything like it before, nor would they have since.

Ahhh...the halcyon days of island life!

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:44 AM

    Sounds like a hoot. That heat had to be bad, but worth the effort I'm sure. I think it would be interesting to celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer.

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  2. Hi Lee, my Lyle used to swelter in a Father Christmas suit, every christmas for several years, he did this for the residents at the facility where I worked . It was never the comedy act that you have shared, how funny that was.
    Cheers Margaret

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  3. It was a hoot, Steve. I would love to spend a Christmas in front of a log fire with snow outside...just once to see what it's like. Our Christmases are always very hot. Many flock to the coastal areas to spend the day on the beach and surfing. I used to do that when I was a teenager.

    Hi Margaret...Yep...Father Christmas outfits are a bit hot for Aussies at this time of the year. Maybe they should wear red, white fur trimmed 'budgie smugglers'! ;)

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  4. Fur trimmed budgie smugglers! He he, I can just imagine it...

    I've been catching up on your posts again, Lee. I guess we all have a little weirdness in us and that's what makes us human. I agree with all the things you don't like in human nature - small mindedness is another one, intolerance of colour, race and religion, the list could go on, couldn't it?

    Love the word picture of the "Great Santa Claus Caper". Those poor Japanese people were probably glad to get out of the place after you lot had finished! Still, it's good to have a laugh, isn't it and there are enough mad people around (including ourselves) to create laughter.

    As for your Christmas Day feast - sounds like pretty yummy to me. Hey, if you chose to be on your own, do it properly and be totally hedonistic I say. Good for you!

    If I don't get back before, Merry Christmas Lee. It's been great reading your blog and I look forward to next year's offerings.

    Have a good one, Lee, and I'll have a glass of champers to toast you.

    Cheers

    Robyn

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  5. Ahh...Robyn...you're a good person! :) I totally agree with you additions to the list of annoyances/thing-that-make-me-angry! I do admit I do have little or no tolerance for fools!

    lol I totaly agree with you in that I am sure that Japanese family were glad to get back home! lol

    Third agreeance...I am going to be totally hedonistic! I am very good at it! ;) I, too, will raise a glass of good cheer to you. It's nice 'knowing' you. Thanks for participating in my blog. I do appreciate your contribution, your philosophy of life and good humour. :)

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  6. Oh! Drat, Damnation and all of that! I made a typo! Put 'your' in there somewhere where 'you' is!!! Blame it on the red wine...I've just come home from a Christmas party!!!!! ;)

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