Here in the United States, we’re accustomed to thinking of Christmas as a winter holiday; even if one lives in Arizona, southern California, or Florida, the very thought of Christmas conjures up images of parkas and mittens, seeing one’s breath in the chilly air, snow on the ground and hot cocoa waiting when we go back inside and, perhaps, listen to Bing Crosby singing how he’s dreaming of a white Christmas. (I can promise you that here in Alaska, every Christmas is white.)
Christmas is, however, celebrated all over the world. In places like Australia and New Zealand, it’s summer at Christmastime. And in Brazil’s Amazon basin, it’s just as hot and muggy at Christmas than at any other time. But never fear; on Tuesday – Christmas Eve – we learned that old Saint Nick isn’t passing by kids in the Amazon.
Santa Claus braved the sticky heat of the Amazon rainforest this weekend, taking two boats to bring gifts to children in a village near the Brazilian city of Manaus.
The visit was arranged by Amigos do Papai Noel, a Brazilian charity that has been taking gifts to children in the Amazon rainforest for the past 26 years.
“For the children of the rivers, the people of the countryside, nothing new happens,” said Raimunda Ferrera Vieira a community leader in the village of Catalao, which received Santa on Saturday. “This here for us was a gift from God.”
As it turns out, it wasn’t Santa himself who made the trip, but rather a dedicated and charitable person who my parents, back when I was a little kid, would have explained was one of “Santa’s Helpers.”
More than 600 children from different villages gathered in Catalao to receive presents from Santa, who dressed in his traditional nightcap, white gloves, and red suit, while enduring the stifling jungle heat.
To get to the kids, the Brazilian Santa sailed on a large boat down the Amazon river, then paddled a canoe along a swampy tributary.
Dozens of volunteers formed a line to Santa’s boat to help him unload his holiday cargo of stuffed animals, dolls and soccer balls. And two of the helper even had to carry Santa off his boat to prevent his boots from getting wet, due to the lack of a pier.
This probably isn’t that unusual for these folks; they probably have to similarly help everybody off the boat, including (hah) the Amazon delivery guy.
But isn’t this a great demonstration of the Christmas spirit? Here in hot, muggy Brazil, in the depths of the Amazon, people are making sure that Christmas gifts get to kids in some pretty hostile country, all in the name of Christmas. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
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The guy in the Santa suit said it was worth it – and when he talks about sweat, can you imagine dressing up as Santa Claus in that climate? But the ersatz Kris Kringle was up to the task, because, after all, it was for the kids.
Still, Santa said all the sweat and toil was worth it.
“Every child in every community always smiles back” said Santa impersonator Jorge Alberto Moreira. “Wherever you go there’s a smile, it’s a great joy.”
I’ll bet it is. Merry Christmas, Mr. Moreira, and great job!
