12 minute read
OPINION: Santa Covid Claus
4 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, November 25, 2020 Opinion
A visit with Santa takes a severe turn this winter BY JOHN MATHER
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
Those words were penned in response to a letter to the editor by Virginia O’Hanlon when she queried her father whether Santa Claus was real. He suggested she write her letter to the editor of the New York Sun because if “you see it in the Sun, then it’s so.”
The response allowed one of the paper's editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, to rise above the question and address the philosophical issues behind it.
“Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except if they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
That was the beginning of Church’s response written in 1897.
It is reportedly the most reprinted newspaper editorial in the English language.
So let’s fast forward to 2020.
In the midst of a worldwide pandemic a child’s trip to Santa Claus to explain how good they have been this year isn’t going to happen.
The Santa Claus at the Christmas market , the community hall visit or in the shopping mall has been replaced by the Covid clause!
Not in here, not safe! No way! No how!
It won’t be the normal Santa visit we’ve come to expect for the past century.
Santa has for the good part been cancelled. And not by the cancel culture movement although give them some time and that may come to pass.
No, in this age of face masks, and social distancing, boys and girls from around the world will be able to see Santa, but he will be in his own isolation bubble, safe from any outside infections or germs.
Thinking about this, you have to think that in all previous years, Santa would probably be the number one super spreader out there, but in keeping with the season, let’s not go there.
Nor should we ponder how he’ll distribute gifts around the world with all the various quarantine procedures in place this year.
Continued
No, now children can reach out to Santa through Facebook, Instagram, email, twitter, podcasts, or any other method of social media they can come up with.
Santa is going virtual!!!
They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little.
Those two sentences of Church’s response could have been written yesterday or any other day for the past few years.
Look at the world around us. Where civil discourse used to be the norm, it has dissolved into name-calling and criticizing.
Our politicians here in Alberta, at the Federal level, and most obviously in the United States have stopped trying to reach consensus when it comes to guiding how our society lives and evolves.
Instead it’s the ruling party’s way or the highway.
When someone posts a question on social media, or makes a general comment, it is often followed by name calling, insults and snarky remarks from people who used to remain quiet, but have now become keyboard warriors because they have discovered they can hide out in plain site saying nothing of importance, yet remaining anonymous all at the same time.
So this year, Santa will be in his bubble, while small children sit a goodly safe distance away. Want a photo with Santa? Two cameras will snap two photos which will then, through the magic of technology, be merged to form a shot showing the children huddling right close to the big man, whispering their innermost secrets.
And a huge shout out to organizations like the Lamont Fire Department, which this Saturday will drive Santa around town in a fire truck for social distance visits with children who have made a request for a visit.
For these kids Christmas might seem a little more normal. Their eyes will still light up and sparkle with joy at the prospect of speaking with Santa, even if it is from 10 feet away.
Others can talk to Santa via Zoom or Facetime. For those in favour of snail mail, Canada Post, despite the pandemic, will still accept letters to Santa addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada
If they include a return address they will get a letter back. All letters to Santa must be written by Dec. 10.
It will be different for sure this Christmas.
Politicians, doctors, and no doubt social media experts will all want Christmas to be a lonely time this year with family visits done by Facetime or Zoom, rather than in-person family visits. Gifts by way of curbside pick up.
All parties and gatherings must be treated the same way.
At least it will cut down on the amount of nog I have to purchase.
But when we get around to making those virtual New Year’s resolutions Dec. 31, … let’s make one where we try to be civil towards one another, more than we have been in years. Through the joy in the eyes and mind of a small child as he meets and talks to Santa, whom he truly believes in, let’s see if we the adults of the world can get some civility back into the mainstream of society, because as Church pointed out, “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.”
And cancel culture. Just go away.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.
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FROM WHERE I SIT: A Public Service Announcement
sacrifice would be is best practice based on few notches. Many of us about those pesky mous- (a real condition of acne enough to wrestle the the information we have didn’t wash our hair for tache hairs? Some of us caused by wearing a coronavirus to the at this moment? days and days. And I’m have a couple stray folli- mask for extended periground. In case you need a few sure I’m not the only one cles that recur every few ods of time) no one can As the weeks and more reasons to wear a who had furry teeth months. A magnifying see the breakouts and months dragged on, the mask---you know other more than once in the mirror, pair of tweezers, wonder it it’s catchy. initial novelty wore off in than the one about sav- last eight months. and a steady hand eradi- Six. We’ve all heard a big way. People got ing your own life and Three. Maybe there’s a cate the problem for a that our eyes are the winconfused by, angry at, that of others---read on connection to point num- few months. You know dow to our soul. But, and immune to the for some real-world ben- ber two (wink, wink) but you have a more pro- that’s not the only ‘tell’ changing and conflicting efits that haven’t gotten I’ve had a lot of people nounced problem when on our faces. Now, when advice for dealing with enough attention so far: tell me they didn’t real- people walk up and offer wearing a mask, we can the pandemic. I, frankly One. Ladies, just think ize just how bad their to sponsor your stick out our tongues, don’t understand that of the mega bucks we’re breath was until they Movember mustache. grimace, cringe when the attitude. This pandemic saving by not buying started wearing a mask. Again, a mask is a bless- boss or a co-worker says BY HAZEL ANAKA In March during the first Covid-19 lockdown, people were intrigued by the concept of staying home, working from home, teaching their kids at home. People tackled their overflowing drawers and closets, did jigsaw puzzles, enjoyed the sleep-ins, took on special projects. One of the most appealing aspects of the lockdown was the pyjama bottoms and sweat pant ensembles people wore during Zoom meetings. People truly believed this short-term is a one-off. It’s a moving target. The advice changed and evolved as the pandemic taught scientists and medical experts one cruel lesson after another. Not only does no one have all the answers, the questions keep changing. Please cut the medical experts and even the politicians some slack as they all deal with their respective constituents, obligations, and competing interests. And, while we’re at it, can we stop using faux outrage at the experts as a reason to ignore what blush and lipstick. My hairdresser misses getting dolled up so much she wore a bright, bold lip just to clean her house and shocked her toddler son who’s never seen lipstick before. That makes me think about those people too young to know any life other than Covid and those who lived and died before the pandemic was a thing. Imagine missing the biggest story of the century. Two. Along with the relaxed dress code, personal hygiene slipped a Lamont County land donated to Edmonton So, even though we shouldn’t be within six feet of anyone else, it’s actually a public service when we keep our jungle mouth to ourselves. Four. Ladies, what ing. Five. Another plus…no one is subjected to the sight of our chapped lips and blistering cold sores. If we have a raging case of mask-ne something dumb. And no one is the wiser. Consider this the latest public service announcement no one else is willing to make, from where I sit. Lamont Alliance Church 44 St. & 50 Ave. 780-895-2879 Sunday Service 10 am LAMONT UNITED CHURCH 5306 - 51 Ave., Lamont, AB 780-895-2145 Rev. Deborah Brill Church Calendar BY JOHN MATHER A 73-acre parcel of Lamont County land has been donated to the Edmonton and Area Land Trust and will now be open for all nature enthusiasts to enjoy. The Smith Blackburn homestead, located near Elk Island Park on Township Road 540, is in the Cooking Lake Moraine and consists of a series of wetlands and upland forest. According to Nikki Paskar, communications specialist for the Edmonton and Area Land Trust, the land was donated in 2018 and the Trust has spent the last endowment fund specifically to support the stewardship of that land.” Paskar said that while the Land Trust does encourage donations from visitors there isn’t any cost to come and hike on the property. When people visit the Smith Blackburn homestead, they will see a variety of wildlife in their natural setting including black bear, deer, moose, beaver, wood frogs Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterflies and many other species. According to the Land Trust’s website, the homestead is also an Yellowtail to nest, raise their young and thrive. The niece of one of descendants of the original landowners, Patrick Anson Smith, donated the property to the land trust in memory of her late husband Cecil William Robert Smith. The Edmonton and Area Land Trust now has 14 lands where the public can go and explore nature in the greater Edmonton area. The Smith Blackburn homestead will be open year around although parking to the site is very limited, according to Paskar. Paskar said there is a and Area Land Trust for nature preserve UNTILWECANWORSHIP TOGETHERINPERSON, PLEASEJOINUSAT 11:15 SUNDAYMORNINGS ON ZOOM OR FACEBOOK AT ELK ISLAND PASTORAL CHARGE ~ Everyone Welcome!~ AA Meetings Thursdays at 8:00 pm Orthodox V Parishes All services 9:30am, followed by DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 am unless otherwise indicated. November SUNDAY NOV 29TH ~ CHIPMAN TONE 8 ~ 25THSUNAFTERPENTECOST ** 60THANNIVERSARYBUSACCIDENT ** December FRIDAY DEC 4TH ~ MUNDARE ENTRYOFTHE VIRGIN MARY Visit our website: www.orthodox-canada.com OUR LADYOF GOOD COUNSEL RC PARISH, SKARO AB Weekly Sunday Mass at Skaro Shrine 8:30 a.m. Adoration, Confession and Mass every 3rd Thursday at St. Michael Parish 6:30 - 8:00 pm For further information www.olafortsask.caedm.ca Church Office 780-998-3288 Email: olangels.ftsask@caedm.ca WEAREOPEN! YOUAREINVITED TOOURNEXT SUNDAYSERVICE @ 10 AM Please leave message at church for information on any of the above. Check out: www.lamontalliance.com two years developing it into a publicly accessible area with nature trails which allow foot-only access. “The trails and boardwalks were constructed by a local contractor and he maintain the trials for important breeding ground for migratory waterfowl and other bird species. The land is comprised of deciduous forest, dominated by Trembling Aspen and Balsam Poplar, along with modern house adjacent to the homestead site. “There was a log house in the early 1900s, and there are some barns and corrals. “When the landowner donated the land, she subdivided the land to Bethany Lutheran Church 20577 TWP 550 Fort. Sask. (7km East of Josephburg) 780-998-1874 Pastor Rev. Jeff Dul Bruderheim Community Church Welcomes You !! Join Us for WORSHIP Sunday’s at 10:30 a.m.! Please wear a mask to protect others us,” said Paskar. “There are three boardwalks and some signage also on the homestead land.” She said much of the construction costs were Raspberry and Beaked Hazelnut. The landscape is dotted with wetlands containing willows, asters and cattails. This ecosystem, states take the modern house away and it is on a separate lot,” said Paskar. “You do have to go through he property to access the site, but there Worship Service 9:30 am Sunday School (during service) Coffee after Service Check us out on Facebook Pastor Wayne Larson 780-796-3775 Located at the corner of the 4 way stop in Bruderheim. admin@bruderheimcommunitychurch.org covered by the Edmonton Community Foundation grant and, “We also have an the website, allows birds such as Great Blue Herons, Soras, Common Loons, and Common are signs asking the public to respect her property, Continued on Page 13 Church Directory Ad $40/mo. 780-895-2780
