An Unlikely Mascot

Back in the early Fall of 2007 Princess A and her friends were working one of the band's bi-annual flea markets when they came across the find of the century: black Santa--a three-foot-tall-use-to-light-up-plastic-holiday-decoration.

After being drug across the high school campus to the music building black Santa took a place of honor in practice room one peering out the room's glass window.  A practice room that seemed already to be on the road to storage closest and less looking of a practice room.  As the kids went around talking about and showing off black Santa their fearless leader (aka the band director) told them to get rid of black Santa they couldn't have him, it was wrong. What was wrong, having him in practice room one or having him in the band building at all?  I remember having a conversation with Princess A about what is wrong with black Santa, whoever said Santa is white.  The Santa at our house is white, sure cause I am white, but the Santa say at Bill Cosby's house is most certainly black.  So what the heck was wrong with black Santa.  That's when the band kids of the Class of 2008 devised a plan that would turn ole' black Santa into a traditional part of marching band.  First they named him Juan and then they autographed him.  That was only after moving him to the back corner by the piano.  Juan the black Santa with a Hispanic driven name now spends most of the year standing patiently in that corner waiting for the end of marching season to come along when he can get some love via a Sharpie.

The tradition continues.

Last Friday at the last regular season zero hour (did you catch that regular season zero hour, uhg there are more to come renamed Tournament of Roses zero hour) the kids of the Class of 2011 put their John Hancock on good ole' Saint Nick. 

Before I know it will be Friday Night Lights time. I will be bundled up in my Nanook, freezing my tush on the metal bleachers, cheering the Flyers to a possible win while being so cold that I see visions of black Santa selling me hot chocolate as he circles the field in his sleigh.  Mother Nature spoiled us this football season and cursde the end of the season with a burst of artic cold.  

Football and cold weather.  I suppose a tradition that I was hoping to avoid!