illusion

Spent the afternoon/evening at X Club doing a Santarina gig thingy with Santa. We were extremely early because we finished make up early without the normal hassles. As a result we spent one hour bumming around in a boardroom, freezing despite the Santa suits and mittens and hats, talking about Malay gangs. Because Santa is Malay, and in my whole attempt to increase my knowledge of other races, the after effects of my Ethnic Sensitivity Module, I was getting him to tell his story about his culture. I don't exactly know where he gets all his gang stories from, but I felt like I was replaying a Malay version of 15 in my head.

Then before we knew it we went down the lobby and were swamped with kids and parents - every claustrophobe's nightmare. The place was jam packed with cameras and all around, camera flashes - every epileptic's nightmare. After one hour of giving out 600 plus gingerbread snowmen, and smiling for the nth photo, I had to rearrange my face to get everything back in place. The Chinese parents were quite something. Kiasuism at its max, it was almost embarrassing; they were pushing their kids to the front, through the barriers, and wanted so many gingerbread men for their children/nieces/nephews/no one in particular. And horror of horrors I met my KoolPurpleSchool music head who brought her daughter to see Santa.

Then there were these boys that came with prepared gift lists for Santa, and we dutifully made a show poring over them before stuffing into the sack with all the other gingerbread men. Stuff they want include

1. "pee gun" (Is that a gun that pees, a gun that shoots pee, or what?)
2. "gas powered (with gas!) remote controle (sic) car! 60 miles per hour" (how's that for detail.)
3. "hill" (how's that going to go down the chimney?)
4. "cap gun" (Enough with the gun obsession already...)
5. "PSP black, iDog green, ipod nano black" (this boy's like, 8.)
6. "toy ronaldhino" (ok....)
7. "remote control car/Ferrari" ( I think he meant a remote contolled Ferrari.)
8. "Ferrari Formula 1 Car (remote)" (in case Santa got him the real thing by accident)

I couldn't bear to dump the lists because of all the little hopes pinned to them (and also because it is bloggable material). It was so tragic to see how eager and earnest these kids were. I suppose their parents will get them their stuff anyway, but still, for them be almost convinced that Santa's real, even if just for one second, is tragic because of the inevitable disappointment that comes after. Why do parents still propagate the myth then? Is it so that if they can't fulfil their children's wishes, they can blame it on a fictitious character, or on the children themselves for not having been 'good enough'?

Night conversation back in the office about how expat husbands are never around, second hand smoke, chocolate wafers, and the very contagious "relac one corner" attitude - again I find myself thinking what I'm doing still studying. Doesn't help that Manager asks "Eh you free next January to March or not? For school tour..." Uni's really starting to be a pain.