Donna's new job...

[anneintoronto]

Roadside Secret Santa at it again along NJ highway

By WAYNE PARRY

(AP) LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. - An annual Christmas mystery is playing itself out again along a busy New Jersey highway.

A Secret Santa is once again surreptitiously hanging ornaments from a large pine tree by the side of the Garden State Parkway in the dead of night.

Oh man --it never occurred to me!  What a wonderful idea!!  I have Christmas ornaments my nieces and nephews or I have made...  *big grin*  I go for lots of late night walks around downtown Toronto...in fact, know the very best place!  Near a seniors' residence, on the way to two schools, to work for lots of people...  Thanks for the best festive idea I've heard of in a long time!  I'm in for some fun!!  I'm out of here!!   

Anne in Toronto

[anneintoronto]

Oh man --it never occurred to me!  What a wonderful idea!!

First "delivery" made!  I'll have to see if it stays there...  It's behind a low wall, with a little fence, so adults won't bother it...  And I put it up fairly high...  So maybe kids can't reach it...  Or maybe everyone will just be glad to see it there!

Thanks for the great idea!!

Anne in Toronto

[Lynne in New Hampshire]

Wow!  Anne

When you said you were going right out you were not kidding!!  Keep us posted with how many you get to put out!!  I think it's great!

Lynne in New Hampshire 

[Bobbie Ireland]

Wow!  Anne

When you said you were going right out you were not kidding!!  Keep us posted with how many you get to put out!!  I think it's great!

Lynne in New Hampshire 

Anne! Way to go! What fun!

[anneintoronto]

Wow!  Anne

When you said you were going right out you were not kidding!!  Keep us posted with how many you get to put out!!  I think it's great!

Lynne in New Hampshire 

Anne! Way to go! What fun!

It was fun!  And I delight in this newly found ability I have -- to be spontaneous!  And I've already decided on my next "ornament" -- a crude but delightful papier-mache snowflake one of my nephews made for me some 20 years ago.  Last night's was a Santa, pulled from the imagination of an excited 5 year old niece.

I also thought about taking daily photographs, but decided that things like this are best left to the imagination...  That my memories will always be much clearer than a photograph.  Because a photo wouldn't capture my reasons for doing this, the feelings that others may have...  I will post about my little adventures.  But it's not the actuality that matters, but my renewed feelings of joy, happiness, contentment -- something I thought I had lost forever seven months ago.

Thanks again for such a great idea, for the supportive words!  You have changed the season from one of sadness to one much brighter, hopeful!

Anne in Toronto
 

[anneintoronto]

Well, Number 1, the Santa, is still on the tree, survived an short spell of huge snowflakes and a ferocious wind and has been joined by Number 2, the lumpy snowflake!  I cheated and put it up as I passed by, walking home from downtown.  Didn't figure I'd have enough energy to go out again.  And there wasn't anyone in the immediate vicinity, so I moved quickly and did the deed!  Tomorrow -- another niece's contribution, a large dough star, beautifully painted by this then 3 year old!!  It is soooo hard, that I don't think any precipitation will hurt it.  And, if it does, well, it's good for returning to the earth, no harm done!  So far so good!! 

Anne in Toronto

[Tokira]

Well, Number 1, the Santa, is still on the tree, survived an short spell of huge snowflakes and a ferocious wind and has been joined by Number 2, the lumpy snowflake!  I cheated and put it up as I passed by, walking home from downtown.  Didn't figure I'd have enough energy to go out again.  And there wasn't anyone in the immediate vicinity, so I moved quickly and did the deed!  Tomorrow -- another niece's contribution, a large dough star, beautifully painted by this then 3 year old!!  It is soooo hard, that I don't think any precipitation will hurt it.  And, if it does, well, it's good for returning to the earth, no harm done!  So far so good!! 

Anne in Toronto

Not only are YOU having a great time doing this, you are sharing the fun with us!  I think I speak for the rest, that we are enjoying your stealth project 
Carol
WV

[anneintoronto]

Not only are YOU having a great time doing this, you are sharing the fun with us!  I think I speak for the rest, that we are enjoying your stealth project 
Carol
WV

Thank you, Carol!  Some bell rang when this "stealth project" idea surface!  It had never occurred to me...  However, better late than never!    It's finally snowed here in downtown Toronto, so I'll see how homemade ornaments survive the elements!  I walk by the tree on the way to work, so will take a peek!  And tonight will slip out again and have some fun!!  Hope you all have a warm, happy day!

Anne in Toronto

[Bobbie Ireland]

Anne, in spite of truly cold winter temps in ROC while I lived there, I do NOT remember being colder than when we visited Toronto years back. That breath-stopping kind of cold. So I have to send a big CHEERS to you for the tree decorations. What a woman! So much in the spirit of the Christmas season. Have fun - we sure are as we tune in to your antics!

Slainte!

[annieinelkhart]

AW Anne this is a GREAT story to follow!  I can't wait to read more!  Hopefully someone passing by will finally comment on how cool it is!  I am sure it is giving LOTS of people a smile!   

[Tokira]

AW Anne this is a GREAT story to follow!  I can't wait to read more!  Hopefully someone passing by will finally comment on how cool it is!  I am sure it is giving LOTS of people a smile!   

It will also be interesting to see if other ornaments start to appear 
Carol
WV

[anneintoronto]

Oh man, am I frozen!!  It's bitter out there!    I had to keep reminding myself why I was wandering around in the dark, freezing to death!  Anyway, the large, dough star , in all its gaudy uniqueness, is suspended, looking pretty fine!  That's three ornaments!  I am going to leave for work a bit earlier than usual and just stand across the street, watching as the kids head to school and the adults to work.  I wonder if anyone has noticed...  Certainly, no one has touched the other two.  Anyway, I will report back.  And will plan tomorrow's mission!  I must say, that an extra trip down my 282 stairs, is good exercise, but in combination with the cold, doesn't exactly create the right place for sleeping!  On the other hand, climbing into my nice warn waterbed has its attractions!!

Night all!
Anne, still shivering, in Toronto

[dale]

interesting to see how the gradual approach works. I like it a LOT!  The year I did it, to two random trees, one in a park and one in an apartment building front yard, it was an all-out festooning at midnight; people did mess with it some, but in neither case was it treated badly.

[Carol P.]

Good job Anne!  

[anneintoronto]

 

...interesting to see how the gradual approach works. I like it a LOT!  The year I did it, to two random trees, one in a park and one in an apartment building front yard, it was an all-out festooning at midnight; people did mess with it some, but in neither case was it treated badly.

Well, I witnessed some interesting events this morning!  I may have dreamed some of this, being half-asleep...but I don’t think so!!  It really was better than a dream!  And, it was way, way too cold and windy!! 

First, my three “ornaments of great worthâ€�, the Santa, the Snowflake and the Gaudy Dough Star were still there and waving in the wind.  But, curiously, the  GD Star had changed position – was higher and to the left!!  Hmmmm...

Secondly, my 3 ornaments had been joined by 2 more!!  A very long construction paper loop chain, of red, green and yellow – someone’s patient work!  The wind wasn’t being kind, but it still added colour!  But it was the second ornament that really caught my attention – a shiny blue and white Star of David!!  It looked homemade -- a fond treasure from someone’s life. And it belonged! 

So now there are 5 dedicated ornaments adorning our tree!  And, I am not alone!

Now – The Audience!  Few work-bound grown-ups bothered to lift their heads as they headed into the cold wind... They were too cold...  Cold, old adults...  But the children!  They were all looking up at the tree!  And they were excited!!  Can you imagine snowsuited little balls of energy pointing and jumping around?  For 5 homemade ornaments!!  Even the older kids were pointing and shoving each other around!  And no child passed without looking!  Even the “children deliveryâ€� people were enjoying themselves!   For 5 bright ornaments!!   And I was glued to my spot across the street, with a huge grin on my face, watching in amazement...work forgotten...   The crossing guard, a puzzled looking little fellow, finally wandered over and asked me, in broken English, “This happen much yes?â€�.  To which I could only reply , “Yep – somewhere in this world, this always happens!â€�.

I do owe an apology to the crossing guards!  They were working hard at maintaining some kind of safe order, without complaint, as this crowded corner of a busy street was causing some problems...   For 5 shared ornaments!!  They were being very tolerant!  Next year, the tree will be away from a corner...but it’s too late to make a change now.   It’s been noticed and would be missed, I’d like to think...

Let’s see... In the end there will be about 18 decorations!  How amazing that this tiny display can cheer a large group of people, when City Hall spends millions of dollars for their display and ours is free...loved...and, well, priceless!! 

Anne in Toronto