Tag: holidays

Natty Bumpercar: hey bumper podcast it's me natty bumper car did you forget my name did you forget who i am did you forget about me i got so exhausted after the big turkey episode that i just kind of crawled into my hole and i put a little blanket on and i made sure that i had my socks on because i didn't want my feet to get cold because if my feet are cold then i'm probably gonna catch some sort of a cold wait a minute i'm gonna catch a cold from my feet being cold sure that's fine uh but i've been gone for a long time and i apologize it's just a lot of life going on um just to give you a super quick update we passed inspection for electric and for plumbing and for build on the bathroom that i'm building hooray bumper car and um you know the kids have been kind of in and out of school because of holiday stuff and we've been going to parties and holiday parties and birthday parties and parties Parties and parties and parties and family parties and all sorts of stuff. And it's just been really busy. And shows, so many shows. So it's been good. It's been great. But I've missed you. I always miss you when I don't talk to you. I get kind of freaked out. Kind of about freaked out how freaked I am that I don't know currently. Pig is hiding from me, as he does sometimes. And that freaks me out. You know this. But more importantly, all that being said, here's a story that I want to tell you today. And it's a super, super, super, super awesome story to me. And I wanted to record it. And I'm thinking that my kids probably won't listen to it. And I'll give you a little warning that your kids, I don't know if they want to listen to it. It's about Santa Claus. And basically, you know, obviously Santa Claus is real. Correct? We know this. Right? Yes. But. But for the last seven years at my kids' school, at their daycare, first for Emerson and then for Oliver, when Emerson went to kindergarten and then Oliver went there, every year they have a big Christmas party, a huge Christmas party. And one year they said, it was like the first year I was there, they were like, hey, do you want to be Santa Claus at our party? Do you want to? We have a costume. You can dress up. You can be Santa Claus. And I was like, yeah, I've never considered doing that, but I would love to do it. Right. And so I got the costume and the first year I was, I was like, you know, whatever. This is fun. But they were like tiny babies. And so I just put on a little show, put on a big voice and everything. And, um, and then, and then as the years went on and the kids were getting older, I would get a little bit more freaked out that I was like, oh no, I, I don't want them to figure out it's me. I don't want the kids to know that. I'm playing the part of Santa Claus today, not the real Santa Claus, like a Santa Claus helper. And, um, and so I, I would have them put makeup on me or I would do this thing where I would actually shave my beard. I have a beard usually. And on this day, this is the day of the year that I shave it all off. And the reason I do it is so that when I pick the kids up, when they see me, I'm hoping for some sort of like a cognitive dissonance, like, like, whoa, daddy looks different. So that. If there's any thought that I'm Santa Claus playing Santa Claus, that they won't realize it. Right. So that's my logic there. Uh, the first time I did it, I think it was like, Emerson was just like, nope, I don't, I do not know who that man is. I am not going to go over to that man. I do not know. I'm not familiar with whoever this person is. And I would talk to him. I was like, Hey, it's me, dad. And he was just like, ah, I don't know. Nah, nah. But anyway, and Oliver, I think just cried, which is, you know, this happens, but so I would go through these links. To try to make sure that I was putting on as good of a, uh, ruse as I could. And then they started, they would put like blush on me and they would put the head, like eyeliner pencils. So they would get rid of my eye, my eyebrows, whatever. And the voice that I would put on was kind of like this. It was a little bit like I was trying to do a Sean Connery, but someone yesterday said I was a little bit like David Attenborough. So it's a little bit. British and they actually at the daycare, they thought it was hilarious. They were like, oh, you sound like you're from England. And I was just like, all right, I'll take it. I don't mind. And then somebody was just like, oh, you sound like Mrs. Doubtfire. And I was just like, that's completely different. Cause that's like, which is like, there's high pitched and I was not doing any high pitch things as all, uh, but anyway, and I would sing songs and ho, ho, ho, ho. You understand my soul thing. So every year I would do it. And it's my favorite day of the year by far, by far my favorite day because I get nerves, I get, uh, kind of terrified just because every year when they get older, I'm just like, all right, I got to really amp up the show and, and, and just like seeing the kids and we have pictures of Oliver and I think of Emerson too. I need to find them sitting in my lap, like looking at me, not knowing it's their dad. And it's just like, ah, it's heartbreaking. So yesterday was the last time that I'm going to get to do it because Oliver's going to kindergarten next year and you know, it's the, I mean, the people at the daycare, they're kind of freaked out too. I'm super freaked out, but they're kind of freaked out because they're like, oh, we got to find a new Santa. And I'm like, oh, my heart's breaking. Um, but yesterday I went in and I did it. And, um, I, I, I get very, I get, I cry sometimes, but yesterday I managed not to cry. Uh, I went in and I did it and it was great and it didn't hit me until, so after I'm in the room with all the kids, probably like 70 people or so, I don't know. And you're talking and you're doing all the different classes and you're taking all the different pictures and I'm asking them what they want for Christmas. And I have the teachers write the kids names and the names if they have elves at home so that I can kind of call it out and be like, oh, you know, Adrian, how are you doing over there? Whatever, blah, blah, blah. And how is sprinkles your elf? And they're like, oh man, this dude knows my elf. Like this is, how's this happening? Or if I know parents' names, I'll throw parents' names. And I did that a couple of times yesterday too. Um, just, you know, anything to create a connection with a kid. Cause it just like, it kind of deepens the magic of the whole thing to my, to my mind. And so it was, it was great. And we sang songs and I tell silly little jokes. Um, and it's a lot of call and response and a lot, I mean, there's a lot of screaming, uh, a lot of excitement, a lot of screaming from tears. Also kids get freaked out by Santa. And then I have to shut it down a little bit and say, oh, it's okay, dear. You're perfectly fine. It's going to be Santa's here to say hello to you. I didn't mean to scare you or whatever, stuff like that. And, um, so then I go around to each of each room individually say goodbye, babies. Thank you for having me. Bye one or twos threes. And at the threes was where it started. It hit me because they gave me a bag of candy canes, like a stocking full of candy canes. And so I took a class picture. I thanked them. I got them all to stand in a line. And then I was giving out the candy canes and individually one by one by one. And they would say, thank you, Santa. Thank you, Santa. And it's, oh, it's getting me now. And just so much, so many emotions and so much joy. But. Sadness. And it's, oh, now I'm getting sad. OK, hold on. Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths. It's my favorite day. So I think, you know, then I got over to Ali's room and the kids are a little bit bigger and they, you know, they're they're they're sweet and they they they're much more rambunctious because, you know, they're almost they're almost kindergartners. And I think that's part of it, too, is you have kids and you're watching them grow up and they're getting older and it's just like, ah. Where's my little baby? Oh, and I'm crying. I'm full of crying. But it's just. And so when when I was talking to Ali, he was in my lap and took the picture with him and then I asked him what he wanted for Christmas. And he said a remote control dinosaur, no, a remote control dragon, which it's it's December 21st at that point. Never have I heard him mention a remote control dragon, but that's fine. We'll figure that out. But as he was walking away. I said, I said, I said, hello, you know, Oliver, I want you to make sure you have a brother. Correct. And he was just like, yeah. And I was like, his name is is Emerson J. Emerson. Is that right? And he was like, yeah. I was like, I want you to tell him that I'm keeping an extra special eye on him. And I did like a little thing. And I and I then I mentioned Elf. I was just like, and and also your your elf, Elfie the snow monster. He's a he's a he's one of my favorite elves. He does a great job every year. Just tell him I said hello or whatever. And he was totally freaked out. Right. And it wasn't until so I was walking out to the car and the women who run the daycare, I was like, oh, my gosh, you almost had emotions. And they're like, stop. And then I got in the car and I put on Christmas music, waterworks, bawling tears. Right. I picked the kids up and Emerson Oliver's telling Emerson that Santa was asking about. And then all he goes a few minutes later, he goes, oh, dad, Santa sounded a little bit like you. And I was like, no. And Emerson was like, you have a Santa suit. And I was like, no, I don't have a Santa suit. He was like, yes, you do. And I was like, I do not have a Santa suit, because at that point I didn't. I had returned it. But it was I guess we came close. I guess we ended it at the right time. But seriously, I love it. And I love you guys. Happy holidays from the Bumper podcast.

Unknown: Happy holidays from the Bumper podcast.