Christmas question

[tetleytea]

Hi, maybe someone who grew up there can help:

 

What I don't get is why Santa visits the kids in Alaska 4 hours later than the kids on the East Coast when North Pole is only a few hours' drive away? Maybe only 1 hour on a sleigh?

[AkSusan]

Hi, maybe someone who grew up there can help:

 

What I don't get is why Santa visits the kids in Alaska 4 hours later than the kids on the East Coast when North Pole is only a few hours' drive away? Maybe only 1 hour on a sleigh?

Because actually he has to start on the other side of the world where the 25th becomes the 25th before it does here in North America.

 

So I figure he starts out here at the North Pole heads east covering Asia, Africa, Australia and then Europe. Continuing east than it's South America, Central America, North America (with a quick side trip to Hawaii - who is an hour behind Alaska) and then back to the North Pole for a nice Bailey's and Hot Chocolate :D

 

Susan :)

[Yukon]

Because actually he has to start on the other side of the world where the 25th becomes the 25th before it does here in North America.

 

I had to remember this morning to send birthday greetings to a friend whose birthday is tomorrow, but it's already tomorrow in Southeast Asia where she's sailing on the Oceania Nautica. Going metric was confusing but time zones are even worse! :D

[AkSusan]

I had to remember this morning to send birthday greetings to a friend whose birthday is tomorrow, but it's already tomorrow in Southeast Asia where she's sailing on the Oceania Nautica. Going metric was confusing but time zones are even worse! :D

Heck we were suppose to change to metric (about 8th grade for me) but then all of a sudden, nope stay the way we are. I'm thinking that it was just too confusing for us Americans to figure out the change :D

 

Susan :)

[PennyAgain]

When I was very young in Alaska, Christmas was a family celebration especially if you could not get out to church or to go visiting. Even though it was dark in what in normal lattitudes would be afternoon, there was no rushing any sleigh and reindeer arrival. It made for a long, long night.

 

We would hear sleigh bells every time the wind blew. Most years Mother somehow managed to get an orange for each stocking. A truly rare thing to have in Alaska in those days.

 

The Old Timers would tell stories about how when they were young the snow was so deep and the winds so strong........ stories of Anchorage being snowed in.

 

The rumor went that Santa stopped on his way home and his reindeer were all worn out so he had to walk up to our house. (a neighbor did this) and the presents would arrive. 9I didn't know that our presents were at the neighbor's house and their presents were in our house.)

 

We would get up in the black dark to see what was going on....again and again.

 

Finally we were allowed to get our stockings down and to find our present (one each). I got a doll one year. Such a special present that I still have her. Most years the present was a sweater.

 

We'd go outside and find the reindeer tracks (likely moose tracks) and see where the reindeer rested while Santa made his deliveries.

 

The outside of our house was lit by red lanterns which are a part of Alaska history and tradition.

 

Santa always got home before the sun came up.

[CowPrincess]

PennyAgain, I just wanted you to know your Christmas remembrances brought tears to my eyes. Thank you :)

[Coral]

PennyAgain, I just wanted you to know your Christmas remembrances brought tears to my eyes. Thank you :)

 

What wonderful memories - I agree! Thanks Penny for sharing!

[PennyAgain]

CowPrincess and Coral, thanks so much! I have been trying to convince family members to write all this stuff out before it is lost to time and memory; but few are interested. I did connect with the daughter of our neighbor who played Santa and wrote as much out for her as I could recall.

 

Miracle of the modern age: I found her with GOOGLE.

 

Please collect stories in your own families.

 

Most visitors have no idea what Alaska is really like and know nothing of the history. Now when you see a red lantern up there you will have an idea that is goes back in Alaska history to the last sled in a train of dog sleds (and the last sled in the Ididarod race.)

 

Travel well and happy holidays.