Ho! Ho! Ho!  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and a Joyous Kwanza!  Santa is really looking forward to his annual ride through Montclair on Saturday, December 15.  PLEASE tell all of the children to be very careful, especially near the sides of the road when the fire truck comes by.  I PROMISE I will have plenty of candy for all of the good girls and boys.  If you should miss us coming by your street just look within the Montclarion and you will see all the way points along my route.  Afterwards, I hope your whole family will come down to Dolphin Beach in the early evening for some snacks, our Holiday Caroling and bonfire.

I enjoy seeing the proud parents and excited toddlers that were just new babies last year.  I especially enjoy the excitement of all of the new Montclair children who get to see the Elf and Santa for the very first time.   The teens are always fun to watch as they act so disinterested and then dive for the candy like everyone else. It is a magical time for all of us, young and old so please come out, wave and enjoy some treats!  I understand that through ArmstrongConnect, my helpers can now alert the entire community by phone and e-mail if there are changes in our plans due to weather or delays from the fire truck responding to an emergency.  So make Santa and all of the good Montclair children happy by signing up for ArmstrongConnect, today!  

As I prepare for my Christmas rounds I'm double-checking my "Nice & Naughty" list.  Santa has some very special presents to leave under the tree for Donna Burke-Fonda and her Landscape and Facilities Management Committee (LFMC).  Donna and the LFMC have contributed extraordinary efforts towards the refurbishment of the MPOA conference room.  Santa knows that the Moms and Dads are equally excited about the significant upgrades to the community landscaping and common areas, planned by this committee.  Checking my "especially NICE" list I found Marge Lyons and her Covenants Committee listed with gold stars.  What a super job this committee of volunteers has done in helping so many Members improve their homes, put up fences to protect the children and maintain the property values of this very special community.  The assistant General Manager, Jennifer Hughes, is also on my "Nice" list for her superb job of managing the recreation and life guards this summer.  Take it from Santa, I know that the best present any volunteer, or staff member, can receive is someone just like YOU taking the time to recognize his or her efforts and saying Thank You!

Ho! Ho! Ho!   I see my list of "Naughty and NOT Nice" has grown again this year.  Coal for the stockings is my usual gift for the people who ignore the community rules just like they did back in grade school and kept talking in class.  Some of the Verizon crews have their names crossed out in RED for all the damage they have done to common areas and people's property.  Santa is also taking extra special note of the residents who park their commercial vehicles on the streets of Montclair, those who walk their dogs and do not clean up after them, AND those who keep feeding the wild geese after they have been asked not to.  So much Good Cheer is lost when the Board and staff have to deal with these individuals.  This behavior is NOT good for the community.  

This Holiday season is all about Joy, Hope, Forgiveness and Family.  Unfortunately, the seasonal joy is diminished for many families who have loved ones who will be away from home risking their very lives for Peace.  There are other families who find themselves in dire circumstances with each day defined by the single hope that they will find warm shelter and something to eat or that someone will acknowledge they are alive.  These families are not in another country; they may live just next door, or just outside of Montclair.  While they will bravely go about trying to have a Merry Christmas, as best they can, they really need all of our support.  Mrs. Claus and I would like to encourage everyone to take time to share some Joy and compassion with those separated from loved ones, caught in unfortunate circumstances or living alone with no family nearby.

May all of you be blessed and find happiness in the coming year. 

Santa & Mrs. Claus