11/11

11/11. The 11th of November. Across the world it is known as Remembrance Day, Veterans Day, Armistice Day, or Poppy Day. It is the day that many nations recognize those who have served, and particularly those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their countries in the pursuit of freedom, liberty, and justice. It originally began in 1918 when the Allied Forces reached a cease fire agreement with German forces, thus ending World War I. In the following year, Great Britain, France, Australia, Canada, the United States, and several other countries declared November 11th as "Armistice Day"... a day to recognize those who fought so bravely and honorably in the first World War. It remained Armistice Day until the conclusion of World War II, when it was changed to honor all veterans.

Today I will go to the church here in the North Pole Village where I will kneel in prayer and remembrance. I will pray for peace. I will pray for justice. I will pray for the souls of those that want to commit evil. I will give thanks for those that have served in the cause of freedom. I will pray for courage, wisdom, and a safe return for those that serve today. I will pray for comfort for those that have lost loved ones to the fight for freedom. I will pray for rest & a quiet confidence for the families of those who are serving today. I will pray for our kids and future generations that they will know freedom and peace.... I will pray that they never have to go into battle to protect either. And I will thank God for my freedom. May I never, ever take it for granted. May I never forget the sacrifice that so many have made in order for me.. and for you... to enjoy that freedom.

May God bless our veterans, the men & women around the world who serve for freedom today, and their families. Thank you.

A Busy Pre-Season Weekend

I hope all of you had a great weekend. I certainly did, though it was very busy and exhausting. Since I only have a few weekends left before I am in the midst of Holiday season, I took this one as a personal weekend to have some fun. Mrs. Claus also took the weekend off but she did her own thing with her friends.

If you were following my tweets, you know it was a sports weekend for me. My sports passions are football (the global version) and American football. On Saturday, I went to the biggest college game of them all... the Alabama-LSU game. If you live in North America, you may have seen me on TV as the national network twice turned the camera toward me. I will never grow tired of the atmosphere & excitement of a big-time college football game. Sunday was particularly busy as I was in attendance at Stamford Bridge for the Manchester United-Chelsea match and then rushed to the Cowboys-Eagles NFL game in Philadelphia. I was really disappointed with the ManU result. Terry was clearly off-sides. The linesman and referee are both on my naughty list. Unfortunately, that won't change the fact that ManU is five points back and not looking nearly as strong as last year. At least the Cowboys game went the way I wanted it too and Dallas is in good position for early November.

My weekend really started on Friday with a very nice and unexpected surprise from a dear friend of mine. She showed up at the office with an extra-large decaf egg nog latte... the first of the season for me! And it was fantastic. It was from Dutch Brothers. As much as I love Starbucks, this was better. Right now, my only retail choice in North Pole Village is Starbucks but I am checking into acquiring a Dutch Brothers franchise for the North Pole. A little competition is good for everyone, right?

Saturday it was good to get down to Alabama. All of that heavy snow we had been getting at the North Pole turned to rain as a warm front came through. All the fresh clean powder turned to a gray slush. After I came in from my morning run, I was soaked head to foot and freezing. In fact, we had some minor flooding in parts of the village. Making matters worse, by the time I returned from the football game, the temperatures had dropped below freezing again and it all froze. Elves and reindeer were slipping and sliding everywhere. It wasn't even worth trying to take your sleigh out... it was best to just stay home if you were already there.

By Saturday night late and into early Sunday morning, the snow resumed. When I awoke Sunday morning, we had a good base of powder snow.. almost 0.5 meters... covering the ice and providing some traction. And that was good because I had to take a couple of my buddies to the airport in Oslo at 3:45a Sunday my time. As you can imagine, I didn't get much sleep the night before. And in case you are wondering... yes, my buddies flew back home from Oslo via commercial airlines. I did not fly them up or back in the sleigh. Reindeer and elves union rules are very strict about use of the sleighs for non-business flights. Mrs. Claus and I can use them for personal use but we have restrictions as to who & when we can take with us on non-business related matters.

Anyway, it was busy weekend and I am exhausted! I am going to hit the sack here soon but before I do, I want to make sure you check out the blog headlines. I am going to be sponsoring a contest in which you can win a sleigh ride with Rudolph! Keep checking in for details on how to win.

Have a good week. It's snooze time for me.

Never Take Yourself Too Seriously

About this time of year I start to hear all the "Santa jokes". Usually folks are whispering them under their breath so that I won't hear and be offended. Well... remember... I know if you have been naughty or nice. Do you really think I didn't hear that?! Really?

The good news is I think they're funny, so I want to share a few with you. I hope you get a good laugh out of it.

Why does Santa always go down the chimney?

Because it soots him.

Where does Santa stay when he's on holidays?

At a Ho-ho-tel!

What does Mrs. Claus sing to Santy on his birthday?

Freeze a jolly good fellow!"

An honest politician, a kind lawyer and Santa Claus were walking down the street and saw a $100 bill. Which one picked it up?

Santa! The other two don't exist!


Why does Santa like to work in his garden?

Because he likes to hoe, hoe, hoe!


What do you get if Santa comes down the chimney while the fire is still burning?

Crisp Kringle!


What do you call someone who doesn't believe in Father Christmas?

A rebel without a Claus!


What does Santa use when he goes fishing?

His north pole!


What's red & white and red & white and red & white?

Santa rolling down a hill!


What's red and green and flies?

An airsick Santa Claus!


What is red and white and black all over?

Santa Claus covered in ashes.


What does Santa get if he gets stuck in a chimney?

Claustrophobic!


Why won't Santa eat Twinkies?

He would rather eat Ho-Hos.

The Commercialization of Christmas

Ugh! I have to admit I am frustrated. The last two days I have been scouting malls around the world... from Dubai to London to Los Angeles. And while I found some great new locations that I will add to my normal schedule, I also grew more and more frustrated at how virtually every retail outlet is already decorated for Christmas. Can they not wait for at least mid-November?!

Please do not misunderstand... I am very glad that folks are excited about Christmas and that they want to celebrate it. I also appreciate the fact that the Christmas season is "make or break" for most retailers across Europe and North America. In fact, most of them lose money all year and make a enough during the Christmas period that they are profitable for the full year. Think about that for a moment... it is staggering. I do appreciate that. If it were not for that fact, I would call for a boycott of any retailer displaying Christmas decorations or advertising prior to November 20th. But we all need the retailers to be profitable. A bad Christmas season at retail and our global economic recovery may see a major set-back. That would not be good for anyone.

All of that said though.... the earlier we see Christmas decorations up each year, the more commercialized Christmas becomes. And the more commercialized, the greater the tendency is for us to forget the true reason for Christmas. So I am going to ask you to battle the commercialization of Christmas - not by boycotting retailers (please don't) but by making a point to spread the true Christmas spirit. You can do that by taking the time to:

• Read the Christmas story yourself. Don't wait until Christmas Eve, read it now.
• Make a point of sharing the Christmas story with at least one child.
• Tell someone you love exactly that... make a point of saying "I love you" everyday through Christmas.
• Buy mistletoe, hang it up, and use it.
• Donate to a charity of your choice. The amount doesn't matter... just give something. In many countries, your donations are tax deductible.
• Make dinner for someone you know that is unemployed.
• Commit to one random act of kindness each day.
• Play like me for one day. Be a "secret Santa" and leave a gift for a neighbor or co-worker.
• Take time to reflect on your blessings and give Thanks no matter how big or small those blessings are.

Do these things and I promise, you'll have the best Christmas ever. And you will likely make someone else's the best ever as well.

November Already?

The first 10 months of 2009 have really flown by for me. I can hardly believe its November already. But I truly am starting to get in the Christmas spirit. Maybe its because it has started to snow here at the North Pole. We have had fresh snow the past 3 days in a row and it really looks like a winter wonderland. Yes... here in the northern most part of the our property, right at the pole, we have snow on the ground year-round but we sometimes go months without fresh snow. The snow does get old, crunchy, and more of an "off-white".... especially in the reindeer run areas, if you know what I mean :-). But new snow changes all that. And there must be at least 2 feet of fresh powder.

It was a busy off-season for me. Lots of travel for both work and pleasure... and sometimes a mixture of both. I spent large amounts of time Europe, China, India, Japan, and the USA on business. Mrs. Claus and I made a few trips to Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, and Kenya on a volunteer basis to help with various humanitarian efforts. And Mrs. Claus and I took a few breaks as well. As I get older, I find I need a little bit more rest & relaxation time during the off-season. Our break times included trips to Maui (1 month), the Six Senses Hideway in Vietnam (1 week... unbelievable place), and simply staying around the North Pole.

Now things are starting to gear up for the upcoming Holiday season. I am excited about it. Pre-season preparations are already underway. I have toured production facilities, met with the team, presented orientation to all of the new hires, etc. Later this week I'll make my annual mall scouting tour to determine which malls I'll personally visit this year (as opposed to sending a delegate. Yes... sometimes it is a delegate and not me. Don't broadcast that to your kids though, ok?)

One thing I'm concerned about though with the upcoming season is my physical fitness. I am definitely getting older. And to some degree I feel I have plateued with my current regimen. That combined with all the work dinners, holiday dinners, parties, etc. that I'm required to be at this year... not to mention my Christmas Eve indulgence of milk and cookies... I feel I have to do something different. Beginning yesterday (Nov 1st), I'm stepping up my exercise routine. I am going to maintain a more intense workout schedule through the end of December. So far so good as I ran hard yesterday (in the snow... it was great) and I have already lifted weights today. Hopefully all of you can watch my blog and if I seem to be slacking off, bug me to get back on schedule. In fact, maybe some of you can join me in committing to staying healthy through the Holiday season...?

Ok... I gotta get to it. The day is calling... and more specifically, Mrs. Claus is calling. The eggs are ready and she's not going to wait on me for breakfast.

Have a great day, everyone! Happy November.

Santa Blog To Resume Holiday Schedule

Press Release
For Immediate Release

BLOG TO RESUME HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Effective immediately, Santa Claus will resume regular updates to his Christmas Blog (http://www.clauschronicles.blogspot.com/). Santa plans to return to providing weekly updates through November and near-daily updates through the month of December.

"Santa suspended off-season posts this year after the first few months had disappointing results. Instead, we focused on 'tweeting', which turned out to have a very positive response. Santa will continue his tweets in addition to his daily posts," stated Jingle, Chief of Staff for North Pole Inc.

Jingle reminded visitors that Santa's Christmas Blog is "ad-free". It is purely a labor of love from Santa. Santa hopes the blog serves to further the Magic of Christmas and add a little bit of joy to the lives of all who read it... children and adults alike.

Again this year, you can subscribe to receive updates via RSS. In addition to adding comments to Santa's posts, he can now also be reached via email at SantaNorthPoleCEO@gmail.com.

And finally, in Santa's effort to remain as connected and accessible as possible, look for him on GoogleTalk as well.

Enjoy the blog! We hope you share it with your friends and family.

Please Direct All Media Inquiries To Melody In Media Relations & Corporate Communications.

FOLLOW SANTA ON TWITTER

Hi everyone! It is going to be a great Christmas this year. I am already in the Christmas spirit... are you?

This season I'll be 'tweeting' in addition to blogging. If you want to keep up with me, you can sign up to follow me at www.Twitter.com. My screen name is NorthPoleCEO. I'll be sending tweets regularly.

Love,
Santa

Happy New Year!

May you all have a safe, healthy, peaceful, and prosperous new year in 2009!

With Love,
Santa

The Final Hours of Christmas

I hope it was a wonderful Christmas for all of you. I think this may have been my best yet.

My Christmas day started about four hours after we landed back at the North Pole. Mrs Claus and I had to wrap up the Operations before we headed home for our traditional Christmas brunch. For some reason, having a nice, leisurely-paced breakfast with Mrs. Claus after the long night and even longer Christmas Eve preparations seems like a luxury. I really start to relax. As I always do, I took a quick nap after breakfast. But not too long... my senior staff came over for a Christmas Day celebration. Its an intimate little gathering... just 20 or so of us (including guests), good food & drink, and a Holiday-season's worth of stories to tell on each other. We all enjoy each other so much more when the pressure is off and we can just relax.

After everyone left, I fell asleep on the recliner as I do each year, next to a roaring fire, surfing the movie channels (Did I mention, we are getting free movie channels as a promotion from our cable provider?). Mrs. Claus woke me up in the early evening hours so I wouldn't sleep the night away. We went for a walk, hand-in-hand, around the Village to enjoy the lights and the lightly falling snow. When we got back from our walk, Mrs. Claus made hot chocolate while I brought in more wood for the fireplace. Once we got settled, with the fire once again roaring and the hot chocolate in our mugs, we exchanged gifts. Last year I was spot on with the gifts for Mrs. Claus after about 10 years in a row of getting it wrong. But this year, I was right back to my old ways... everything I got was either the wrong size, wrong color, or wrong style. Ugh! Yes, even I have problem giving gifts to my spouse! So don't feel bad if you find yourself in the returns line tomorrow morning. The good news is that Mrs. Claus was very understanding and we had a very Merry Christmas anyway. After all, the gifts are just a symbol.

Well, Mrs. Claus has retired for the evening. I'm pretty tired but I wanted to check in with you before I take a 10 or 12 hour "nap" for the first time in a few months and wish you a very Merry Christmas before the day is over. I hope you have some time this week between Christmas and New Years Day to relax and re-energize for the new year ahead. If you do, take the time to focus on your blessings. If you find you are truly blessed... as I believe you will... make a point to share those blessings with someone else during these last days of the Holiday season.

Merry Christmas, everyone! With Love, Santa

Happy Christmas

...and to all a Good Night! The last presents have been delivered, the last cookie eaten, the last glass of milk consumed, and the last stocking filled. Once we get the "all clear" signal from the North Pole Command Center, we'll point the sleigh due north and return home. I hope everyone has had as much fun this Christmas Eve as I have had tonight. Tomorrow is going to be the best Christmas yet!

Good night, all! I will not update my log until late in the day to day as I plan on enjoying Christmas brunch with Mrs. Claus and taking a nap.

"And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21