My suspicions were proved correct when we attended the annual Santa Fly-In at College Park Aviation Museum. The place was packed with families enjoying every kind of holiday activity, from bauble-making to Christmas tattoos, all as we feverishly awaited the arrival of the bearded one himself.
Then a shout went up and we ran to the windows to see a helicopter swoop in, like that scene in Apocalypse Now. It was a McDonnell Douglas MD520N no less, a police helicopter with the unmistakable man in red in the back window. Had St. Nick been nicked (for repeated breaking and entering)? No - the local constabulary were just making sure he arrived safe and sound, and soon Father Christmas was ushered upstairs and ready to be photographed with screaming children on his knee.
We decided it probably wasn't worth waiting around for Pete's inevitable refusal, and not owning air transportation it was a slow crawl home around the beltway for us. Pete slept, probably exhausted from the mental effort of reconciling Hanukkah at daycare, advent at church, Christmas songs on the radio, and Santa in a helicopter. America: the melting pot. Happy holidays!
It was Hannah's first visit, and my 50th-ish.
Usually Pete and I are the only two people here. Today we were joined by around 300 more.
But that did mean there was a bear in a flying helmet and goggles!
Waiting expectantly.
And he wasn't alone.
Wait! Is that...could it be...?
Santa!
Just like the arrival of the Pope, sort of.
Christmas is in the building.
Even Wilbur Wright got into the spirit.
Naughty or nice?
Virgin and child.
Is that a look of holiday fatigue on the young boy's face already? Time to sing a few more carols, methinks!
