I Believe In Santa !

Every Christmas Eve, Santa stood on our rooftop and jumped down the chimney!

Well...actually it was Dad in a Santa suit and he jumped BEHIND the chimney...but to all the children watching in awe...

BELIEVERS FOREVER !!!

CHRISTMAS parties were magical at our house. Nothing was impossible for my creative mother -- everything home-baked, the house decorated to a theme with a fantastic musical program.  She somehow talked my serious, scientist dad into
doing this each year...

...Climbing up a ladder behind the house in a Santa suit with bells jingling across his chest, Dad would walk across the roof (always foot deep in snow) - climb on top of the chimney with spotlights flooding him from head to toe and stand there under a star-studded night sky as cousins, aunts and uncles of our large extended family piled out of the front door to
catch a glimpse of the
real Santa Claus !

...And then, with a loud HO-HO-HO!, he'd give a great big jump and in a twinkling, disappeared down the chimney!

Moments later he could be found in our living room, just climbing out of the fireplace, where he gave a present to each girl and boy as parents took photos.

---

Twenty years of Chistmas Parties at our house with our family of cousins, aunts and uncles and their children. The party grew larger each year.

Each Christmas was a new theme, with decorations, food and music to match. Everyone participed in the program.

The grand dining table seats 20. It was always decorated with Christmas elegance. In the center was the traditional Christmas cake filled with silver charms, a Victorian English tradition.

The young boys ate around the train table in the basement - a fun room that my mother created.

The girls ate in the three room playhouse that she also created.

My daughter Carlin (8 yrs old) and I did a tap dance to "Puttin on the Ritz." Clint (right) is 5 and I'm expecting another little girl. 
(second photo)

Several Christmases later
​we are dancing again to
​"Making Memories."
(3rd photo)
I'm on the left and Carlin is on the far right.



THE CANDY CANE CAPER
with a "Pink Panther" theme for 1983
my Mother made the gorgeous pink Santa suit that Dad is wearing, holding my little one, Candis.

 I was working as a portrait artist when I decided to paint a portrait of Dad as Santa
​for the family. (See top of post)
A print company loved it and has asked for new images every year since. 
​I snapped this photo of my parents at one of our Christmas parties, catching a special moment. I later used it to create ​"Mr and Mrs Claus."

Now you know
Why I love Christmas! 
Why I love to create Christmas paintings!
And why
​I Believe in Santa!