Reindeer Madness And….RESPECT(?)

Omicron was on the horizon. The 2021 holidays were upon us and people were trying to figure out what their safety zones were.  (Wait, isn’t this where we were a year ago?) Limited gatherings? No gatherings? Oy.

A year ago, in pre-vaccine 2020, a neighbor suffered a family loss and decided to channel her sadness into being an elf. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Small presents began appearing at the homes of nearby neighbors, signed “From an Elf”.  No one knew who the elf was but everybody was diverted from pandemic sadness to - delight. Such a relief.

Feeling weighed down again by the pandemic unknowns of the 2021 season, and a litany of continuing, crappy, 24 hour news cycles, I felt an inner ELF begin to rise up. Not wishing to purloin the already-taken “elf” nomenclature, “Rudolph and the Reindeer Gang” was born. However, I had absolutely no idea what Rudolph and the Reindeer Gang could give as anonymous gifts (to LOTS of neighbors.) None whatsoever….

Now, stick with me. I’m taking a detour; Rudolph and the Reindeer Gang will be right back…trust me.

I’m quite a few years out of high school. 😉 Over these “quite a few years,” a classmate built and maintained a Facebook page for our high school graduating class of 500+, becoming the glue for all of us. Multiple reunions, how to find a lost classmate, the sharing of obituaries, and keeping politics off this nostalgic page. Oh, wait, did I mention that she and I are on completely opposite ends of the political spectrum? She likely avoids some of my FB posts and I do the same with some of hers. However, I’ve developed a very deep respect for her many-years-long feat of holding our class together. She also enjoys my “This Being Human Thing” stories (and, of course, I respect her good taste!)

Our respective blue and red have merged into purple in some important areas of our lives. (Finally returning to Rudolph and the Reindeer Gang…) I shared the previous 2020 neighborhood elf story on Facebook and noted my desire to pick up the anonymous gift baton in 2021. BUT, I had absolutely no idea what kind of gifts could easily be left in mailboxes. I mentioned this in a Facebook exchange with my high school friend. Damn, didn’t she just hit the ball out of the park with a wonderful suggestion! Lottery tickets!

Since North Carolina lottery proceeds benefit state education (so they tell us), I decided to go that route and purchased beaucoup scratch off‘s. I had a ball practicing my skulking skills, at dusk, leaving lottery tickets from Rudolph and the Reindeer Gang in mailboxes. (Only one neighbor caught me. He didn’t buy my explanation that I was a Girl Scout selling thin mint chocolate cookies a bit early.)

Soon our neighborhood listserv lit up and whether people won something on their scratch offs, or not, there was the palpable joy of being acknowledged and touched by unexpected light during a trying time. And I got to celebrate that in a country of red and blue, purple DOES exist. Thanks, Gayle HR!