Not the Santa Claus Reports I Remember

When I was a little boy growing up in the suburbs of Detroit in Ferndale, I remember hearing reports around Christmas Eve concerning the activities of Santa Claus. I would be listening to the radio and reports would break in "We interrupt your Christmas music to announce another Santa sighting. The jolly old elf was seen flying over the North Pole at a rapid speed, destination not known, but we will keep you posted of his activities."

Later on I might hear late Christmas Even that "Cities throughout Europe have announced that they have received their packages and the last time he was seen he was heading over the Atlantic." That, of course, meant he was coming to us. Very exciting indeed.

The only reports I have heard this holiday season are the one of a Santa looking character getting kicked out of Disney World because kids were making requests, but he wasn't on the mouse's payroll or the more sinister one of the individual pictured above accused of kidnapping an 8 year old girl. These are not the Santa Claus reports I remember! Nor would I want to.

I'm amazed that with all the information that is out there, it is now so difficult to get the reports on Santa Claus that we loved as kids -- you know, the reports we want. I think those, too, may be an example of the fragmentation of media we have seen in recent decades and it would be difficult to even find such if it was out there. But I would love for my kids to get some reports on Santa that don't require covering their eyes or ears. Ah, the good old days!