Good Will Toward Men

I've been feeling Scroogy this Christmas - or, rather, apathetic enough to not even really feel Scroogy - just bleh, as if the holidays are one enormous chore to get through (or be avoided). But I really felt Scroogy because I felt like I was totally self-absorbed - one of those grinchy people who looks at the Salvation Army Santas and wonders why they chose this store, on this day, to shake their bell and ratchet your headache up another notch.

I discovered an incredibly easy, cheap way to brighten up a whole county's worth of holiday revelers - quite by accident.

This weekend, my mom needed me to run some errands for her (how she survived with me thousands of miles away, I've yet to figure out - maybe she's making up for lost time). They involved driving down to Happy Valley. For the record, I would rather sit on the Beltway than drive in Happy Valley. It's a most-painful endeavor - especially since her request involved several stops, a couple of stores and a wrapping job (sidenote: the gift ended up looking like a 5-year-old wrapped it - parking lot wrapping jobs with an infant wailing in the background about how unfair life is that she is stuck in her carseat just don't look so great).

It also involved stopping at my aunt's house. In a fit of holiday cheer, I dressed Baby Girl in her ridiculously cute Santa outfit (you can see her here) - largely because it's warm, it fits and the furry collar entertains Baby Girl for minutes on end.

We left the house at noon. We got back at 7:30 p.m. During that time we went to one department store, one farming store (don't ask - I think I was the only one there not wearing boots), my aunt's house, several stores in the mall, Costco and Arby's (I somehow forgot to eat in the middle of all of this). Himself had the stroller, so I hauled Baby Girl around in my arms the entire time. My arm grew tired. She, apparently, did not. She happily slurped on her fist and watched all the people.

I started to notice something ... everywhere we went, people brightened up - if only for a moment. One lady stopped us and told me that we had made her day. There were whispers, pointing, little kids tugging on pants and saying, "Mommy - look, it's a little Santa!". People smiling and wishing us Merry Christmas. Every time, Baby Girl would stop slurping long enough to flash a dazzling smile that lights up her whole face. You could almost see people melt into puddles of goo as they smiled back.

Last night, when we drug Baby Girl out in subzero (not quite, but it felt like it) temperatures to see the lights downtown, she wore the same outfit. The same reaction happened.

I didn't feel quite so Scroogy after that. I realized that my contribution this year to good will toward men might be small, but it definitely makes a difference.

After all, who can walk away not feeling a little better after they see Baby Girl in a Santa suit?