There's A War On!

As some of you may know, every year around this time we celebrate a little something called Christmas. Now, maybe you don't, maybe you celebrate something else, and that's okay! Permission granted. But as a God fearing Atheist, I do my best to uphold the Traditions laid down by my Forefathers. The ones I enjoy anyway. These include decorating the house, both inside and out in a festive manner befitting the season. Here in the Great White North almost everybody gets into the holiday spirit, tarting up their houses with all manner of lights and inflatable do-dads and whatsits, it's almost like some passive-aggressive competition in these parts.

And then there's this.

 
For the past five years or so this Christmas abomination was secured to a post and prominently displayed on a neighborhood lawn not far from my house. Every time my kids and I drove by we would marvel at just how shitty this decoration looked. With it's empty plastic body sagging in the wind, it's dirty beard, missing hand, and empty eye sockets, it would appear as early as November and often hang around until April.
It became lovingly know as "Bulimic Santa" and it's pathetic presence was a sign that Christmas was once again on it's way. We often wondered about the mental state of the person who took the time to erect this tragedy year in and year out, and eventually decided it was an ironic joke. Maybe intended to piss off a fussy neighbor or a nagging wife. Maybe it was some sort political statement about Christmas and its crass commercialism and overindulgence while so many starved worldwide.
We'll never know. Last year about two weeks before Christmas a strange thing happened, Bulimic Santa fattened up. For the first time in all his years as a local fixture he looked the part of a proper Santa. His missing hand was back, his beard and face cleaner, and his body filled out to jolly rotund proportions. It was fucking weird. What did it mean?
He disappeared some time between Christmas and New Years last year, and was never seen again.
Many times this year we have driven past that house hoping to catch a glimpse of him only to be disappointed. In a World of expensive and extravagant Christmas displays He stood out. His bedraggled appearance reminded us that not everyone was enjoying a time of plenty, that in spite of all the Christmas cheer the world was still a sad and lonely place for some people. He reminded us that you don't have to be perfect. He reminded us what it is to be human.
Was it all just a joke? Some strange piece of performance art? Only mysteries and memories remain. So long Bulimic Santa, you will be missed