What's a Ghost with a Santa Hat?

During the Christmas season in the Beck house we like to read Christmas books aloud before bedtime. Our favorite story to read is Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.

And I must admit that my vocal characterizations of this story are simply remarkable.

A funny story about A Christmas Carol.

Aidan, our youngest, has always loved costumes. He's got all sorts of hats and capes and many year's worth of Halloween costumes that he uses to make various characters. He's always coming out of his room dressed as one thing or another.

(And Jana and I are very indulgent in this regard. Our boys have gone to church, from time to time when they were young, wearing capes. And we've shopped at Walmart with the boys in costume. Hey, if that's what they want to do we don't mind.)

When the boys were in elementary school Jana used to invite their two classroom teachers over to the house for a Christmas brunch. And during the brunch the boys would often play the piano for some entertainment.

Anyway, Miss Anne, their piano teacher, would also indulge Aidan's penchant for costume. Every piano recital Aidan has ever had he's done in a costume of his own design. One year as a solider turtle. Yes, you read that right, he did his piano recital dressed as a solider turtle. Let your imagination run wild.

And this, incidentally, is why Miss Anne is the best piano teacher ever.

But back to the Christmas brunch.

One year, when it came time during the brunch for Aidan to play his song for his teacher, he went to his room to get into costume. Which is what you do given how Miss Anne lets him dress for recitals. When he returns Aidan is dressed in his ghost costume from Halloween, which is basically a tattered white sheet with two holes for eyes. And he's got a Santa hat on his head.

Aidan sits at the piano and plays his song dressed as a ghost wearing a Santa hat. Jana and the teachers puzzle about what this costume is all about. After his song they ask, "Aidan, what are you dressed as?"

He answers, "I'm a Christmas Spirit!"

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8 thoughts on “What's a Ghost with a Santa Hat?”

  1. Very cute!  And if you ever come across the audio of Patrick Stewart doing A Christmas Carol, definitely check it out.  It's based on his one-man show, which was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

  2. I took my three year old to church last Sunday in a cape and mask.  We compromised; I convinced him to wear the mask on top of his head by explaining that no one would recognize him if he wore it over his eyes.

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