Winter Garden's Annual SANTA OF TERROR

[mariness]

Santa Claus is terrorizing us again.

It's not Santa so much, it's that he comes with a fire truck and two cop cars all blasting their sirens and honking their horns at startled cars and bicyclists. Plus, his sleigh smokes, which sends everyone out assuming it's a fire only to be greeted by smoke, sirens and Jingle Bell Rock.

We waved. He ho ho hoed.

The next door kids were delighted. I'm off to get a drink, since I'm going to be hearing these sirens for several more minutes. (Santa terrorizes VERY SLOWLY.)

Comments

[lauredhel]

Ack! Sirens! Sirens and horns! *hugs* offered. And possibly a little cocktail.

A year or two ago, at around school release time, there was a sudden VERY LOUD SIREN, and an ambulance drove out of the school grounds, full lights and sirens, and off into the distance. Immediate panic attack - because I know that full lights and sirens only go on for the most dire of circumstances; even with heart attacks and such, the ambos use lights and only give a short burst of siren when they need people to get out of the way. Who was deathly ill or injured? A teacher? A student? My son?

Turns out, no - they had just had an educational ambulance incursion, and the ambos had decided to drive off with FLaS blaring as some sort of display. ARGH.

[mariness]

Last year I honestly thought there was a major fire or a crime in the area -- we had NO idea what was happening, and this thing is LOUD and we had not heard it in the previous apartment, so I assumed one of the houses further down the road was on fire.

This time they chased my brother on his bicycle as he was returning home, so he knew what was happening, but still. The sound goes on for about a half hour, and until you see Santa -- and he's hidden by the fire truck and by the two cop cars -- you have no idea WHAT'S going on.

I understand that they have to siren to get drivers out of the way - Santa goes about five miles an hour and by the time he goes by it's dark.

On the other hand the little kids are still happy, so I guess that's something.

And ARRRGH on your story.