Sax-playing Santa a unique Christmas tradition
Santa in sunglasses playing a jazzy “Jingle Bells” on a saxophone is one of those traditional Christmas items we drag out yearly. Push a button, and he plays verse and chorus, moving perfectly to his own music. He’s been part of our Christmas scene for a few years.
But for anyone who plays sax — that’d be me — there’s something demoralizing about a foot-tall wiggling Santa Claus who can outplay you on “Jingle Bells,” of all tunes. He puts me in my place. What’s more, he’s from China. What do they know about Santa in China? And “Jingle Bells”? Isn’t that our tune?
As a child given to over-thinking, I wondered about all imported Santa effigies crafted in non-Santa Claus places like China and Japan. I pictured the importers telling the artists how to design Santa to sell in America:
"Just make it an old fat guy with a fluffy white beard and mustache and crinkly eyes. Dress him in red velvet with white fur trim, red hat with white tassel, black boots and a black belt. That’ll do.”
Back in those pre-Internet days I felt for the far-away crafters who didn’t know Santa Claus up close and personal like we did in America and England and wherever else. But at least they were making money off us and Santa. I was probably about 10 when I first pondered these economic and sentimental issues during the holidays.
Now, all these years later, surprise! China has one-upped us! In China, Santa Claus is a musician whose favorite instrument is the saxophone! Google says so. Plain old St. Nick is beginning to seem one-dimensional.
Meanwhile, if you too own a sax-playing Santa, didn’t you think it was just somebody’s cute idea for one more Santa version? That’s what I thought. So it’s from China. So what. What isn’t?
You didn’t realize you’d bought the quintessential Chinese Santa.
Now that Google has given us the big picture, kudos to China for recognizing that the magic of Santa and the magic of a saxophone are a good fit. Yes!
But what about “Jingle Bells”? Is that what Santa plays in China? Who knows? I could Google “Chinese christmas music,” but so can you. I’m thinking it’s a universally beloved song. If it isn’t, don’t tell me.
JINGLE BELLS RESEARCH.
Bear with me. I’m a compulsive looker-upper.
"Jingle Bells” composer James Lord Pierpont is almost as interesting as Willie Nelson. His father was the Unitarian abolitionist preacher John Pierpont, a founder of Yale University. The younger Pierpont ran away from home to join the crew of a whaling ship. In 1849, he rushed to California but found no gold. He was the uncle of famous financier James Pierpont Morgan. He served in the Confederacy.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
By the way, Google says it’s OK to say Merry Christmas in China!
So, Merry Christmas to you if you’re in China. Happy Holidays to everybody else.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Sax-playing Santa a unique Christmas tradition in China
