Christmas in May

Most of you know about my history with Em's elementary school and the subject of Christmas. (If you don't, head on over to my December archives, and you can read all about it. The relevant entries are on December 3 and December 17.) My rabble-rousing is undoubtedly four-fifths of the reason I'm on the PTA Executive Board right now--you know, that whole "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" thing.

Anyway, I really enjoy being on the Board, and I signed up for another year, except as newsletter editor this time. So we're sitting the other night in our first meeting of the 'new board,' which has 8 people from last year, and only 3 new people. And we're talking and we're joking and we're bantering. At the end, one of the new folk, who hasn't said a word for two hours, asks for a chance to speak about some ideas she has for things the PTA could do next year. And she hands out some printed-up proposals. Cool. New blood, new ideas. All good.

Anyway, she starts talking about her first proposal...a "holiday boutique" for the kids to buy handmade stuff for their parents. Now, she doesn't know me from a hole in the wall, but the seven other old-timers on the board start staring at me, like I'm a bomb about to explode.

I should say here that her proposal was for a "multicultural" boutique, and that aside from a single reference to Santa's workshop, there was nothing in there that ANYone could object to. But, you know, I'm a loose cannon, apparently. Who knows what I'll object to?

(Oh, and I should also add that we were having this meeting in the church that the PTA president works at--she runs their child-care program. She is, by all accounts, the person who pushed for Santa in the classroom in previous years, though I don't know that for sure, and she and I actually have gotten along extremely well. Still, the crosses overhead just add to the 'flavor' of the moment.)

Anyway, New Girl talks for a few minutes. You can tell she's nervous about overstepping her bounds, and I'm sure the deathly silence when she's finished doesn't help any, especially since she doesn't know why it's so quiet. So I step right into the breach.

"Well," I say, "I know some of you are wondering what the Grinch has to say about this..."

A few of the more laid-back folk laugh.

"I have to say I think it's a fabulous idea. Really. I'm all for it. Keep it 'holiday,' keep it multicultural, keep Santa out of it, and you've got my full support."

As I finish, the PTA president, who's sitting to my right, puts her arm around my shoulders. "Why, TC," she says, after a brief pause, "I do believe your heart just grew two sizes!"

It may have been the best laugh I've had in months.