Welcome to Colleen’s Corner. This is a column meant for fun and some information About myself: I am a Freelance Photographer you often see me on the side of the road or in various places taking photos of different things animals, birds, places, people etc. l have lived in Lumby for over 18 years, you have seen my photos in the newspaper (Lumby Valley Times) and once in awhile in the Vernon Morning Star, and the Lumby Art Gallery. Photography is my passion. Disclaimer: The information on some of my photos that I write about a lot of times come from the Internet or books I research them, hopefully the facts are as close to the truth as I can come.
By Colleen Fielding
Did you ever see someone that you admired, and thought, “I would really like to meet them”?
When I was a kid, every year my mom would take us to see Santa usually at Eaton’s Store. My first time I saw him I was 3 months old, I don’t actually remember seeing him at that age, but my mom said I looked at him with such admiration in my eyes and smiled the whole time, apparently the kid before me cried.
I remember when I was about 4 years old and sitting on Santas knee, asking him for the things I would like to have, I also invited him to our house for dinner. He told my mom to let me know that he thanked me for the invite, but he had to get home to Mrs. Claus.
Every year, I would find a Santa somewhere in a store or in a mall, they were always different people. Sometimes my mom would come too we both would have our turn on sitting on Santas knee. My mom was born on Christmas Eve, and her birthday present to herself was sitting with Santa.
I would tell them all that I would like to have, and in my head, I would always think to myself, “one day I will meet you in person without the crowds, and the rushing to get everyone’s picture with Santa, it will be fun.” When I left Ontario, and moved to BC, the excitement never left me, every year near Christmas time I would find a Santa somewhere and sit beside him, no longer do we sit on his knee. My mom and I would talk on the phone, and she would tell me about her visit with Santa, and I would tell her about mine. Quite a few years back I worked with a guy who played Santa, I was dressed as his Elf, what a blast we had. We were friends, but I knew he wasn’t the Santa I was to meet one day. I called my mom and let her know about being the Elf with Santa, we laughed and my mom said that she always knew I would make a good Elf, I sent her a picture of me with Santa, when she went to see the Santa near her, she took my picture with her and showed it to the other Santa. He thought I made a good Elf as well.
The next year my mom got sick, I flew back to see her. She was in the hospital, never coming out again. She asked me to bring her the picture of me as an Elf with Santa that sat on her shelf. When I brought it to the hospital, she told me once again that I made a good Elf, and one day I would meet the real Santa and have fun, she also told me to carry on her tradition of sitting with Santa no matter how old I was. My mom knew that she would not be able to see Santa anymore and now it was up to me, as my sisters never followed the tradition. My mom passed away that July she was 83 years old. Had she had lived she would of course been sitting with Santa that December.
Whenever I sat with the Santas after my mom passed away, I would tell them her story and how I was caring on the tradition, some would laugh, some would smile, and some said nothing. But they just weren’t the right Santa, something was missing.
Then one day, a few years ago I went to the Vernon mall, to get my traditional picture with Santa, while I was waiting in line, before I even got to sit with him, something inside me woke up, I knew deep down that this was him, my mom would have loved him. I patiently waited; the excitement was building up inside me it was finally my turn. I sat beside him, I told him who I was, I told him my mom’s name and her story, I told him I was following her tradition. He looked at me and smiled, a genuine smile, with a real twinkle in his eyes, and told me that “he knew my mom was there with us and I should always follow the tradition”. I asked this Santa for nothing, I was just happy to be there, we had our picture taken and I knew in my heart we would meet again.
Every year after that I would go to the mall for my picture with Santa, if this Santa wasn’t there, I would leave and come back the day and times he would be there. Every year I would tell him who I was and who my mom and about our tradition, and every year he would give me the same genuine smile and the same twinkle in his eyes and would tell me he remembered me and my mom’s story. I don’t know if he really remembered or not, but I felt so much better when I left, always with the thought that one day I would meet him.
Then one day I was working, and a person came in with his wife, he looked so familiar to me, I told him he reminded me of the Santa I liked visiting at the mall. To my surprise and glory, it was him, and bonus, not only did I get to meet my favourite Santa Clause, but also his wonderful wife, “Mrs. Clause” (not her real name of course)
He had already retired by this time, but that’s okay. My mom and I had been right all along I was going to meet the real Santa, and we would have fun. And we did. Whenever they would come to the place I worked at, we would talk and laugh. Ever since I was a kid. I had wanted to meet the person I admired, the real Santa! And I finally did.
I still carry on the tradition, and the last few years Tim has joined me sitting beside Santa.
You were always my favourite Santa. Thank You for being who you were.
Maybe Cors Verhage was not the real Santa but in my heart he always was.
You are deeply missed, and when I go and see the next Santa’s I will always think of you.
