I’ve been given many opportunities to grow as a person over the years, especially through awe-inspiring films and very encouraging music. There are two films that helped me develop as a person very highly, in which I will simply refer to them as “Mebius & Brothers” and “Ultra 8 Brothers,” where both films taught me what “not giving up” meant. Also, there have been many songs which contributed to my development, allowing me to have a very strong will filled with optimism. Due to what I have been given, I have been able to motivate people around me as well and help them become strong.

As implied, “Mebius & Brothers” emphasizes heavily on “not giving up until the very end.” Now, the phrase “never give up” has perhaps been overused to death in various literature and media, but this film conveys the message very well that it would make one agree to it wholeheartedly. At one point during the film, when there was a battle happening and the protagonist–Mebius–seemed to have lost, his elders (or “brothers”) tell him that “even if there is only the slightest hope of victory, fight believing that you will win,” and that “the strength of [the] heart makes the impossible possible.” “Ultra 8 Brothers” also emphasizes on “never giving up until the very end,” but on a grander scale. One example in particular was when paramedics and such were trying to save civilians who were seriously injured due to giant creatures wreaking havoc within the city, despite knowing they may not be able to heal nor save every single person, they refused to give up anyway and continued working to their very limit. The messages that each film gave taught me how to keep working my best regardless of how hard or hopeless things may seem.

Though it’s not just the films that gave me opportunities to grow, there was the music, too. The main example would be the song, “Frontier,” by the band, DELUHI, which has the following lyric: “Keep on going, overtake the sorrow, ’cause you will see a world that nobody could imagine. Believe in yourself.” Not only that, but there are many motivational songs to help one grow by rock duo, B’z. Many of its encouraging lyrics were written by the vocalist based on his own life experiences. His lyrics would motivate listeners to “[not] be discouraged by setbacks”, to not lose nor cry but to “try high,” and to “face that endless pain” if one “[wishes] for happiness.” Not only did the songs add in to what I have learned from the films, but also: If I should fail, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I should keep moving forward and continue to do my hardest.

Because of learning such principles, I was also able to motivate and encourage others into trying their hardest. There has been many times where my friends seem to be stressing over the hardship of the schoolwork or life problems they were given. I realized that they need to have self-motivation if they want to succeed, so I would pass down what I’ve learned to them, which encourages them become motivated and strong. Also, because of what I’ve learned, I have been able to create my own words, such as “do not view failure as failure, but view as how to improve” and “be strong, regardless of how hard it is.” Not only do those words benefit them, but they also benefit myself when I run into similar states of stress.

Media such as film and music are capable of giving opportunities to help a person grow. It can be through films telling the audience to not give up until the very end in whatever they do, or music that tells them to have a strong will, enough to overcome any sorrow thrown at them. Those who are given these opportunities can also provide opportunities for people around them to receive these doctrines as well. With all these values being taught through the opportunities given, one can become an even stronger person.

Merry Christmas.

Just last Monday night I had a strange visitor. This is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door of the front room, and to my surprise, Santa Claus himself stepping out from behind the Christmas Tree. He placed his fingers over his lips so I wouldn’t cry out.

“What are you doing here…” I started to ask, but the words choked up in my throat as I saw that he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner is gone ~ gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. As I stood there in my night shirt bewildered, Santa said, “Teach The Children.” My perplexed expression still showed in the near darkness.

“Teach them the old meaning of Christmas ~ the meanings that Christmas nowadays has forgotten.” “Teach the Children, the star was a heavenly sign of promise long ages ago. God promised a Savior for the world and a sign of the fulfillment of that promise was the great star of the East. The star now reminds us of God’s love for mankind and of God fulfilling His promise. The countless shining stars at night ~ one for each man ~ now show the burning hope of all mankind.” Santa gently laid the star upon the fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red Christmas ornament.

“Teach the Children, red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed for all people by the Savior. Christ gave his life and shed his blood that every man might have God’s gift to all, eternal life. Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the greatest color of all. It is the symbol of the gift of God.” As Santa was twisting and pulling another object out of his bag, I heard the kitchen clock begin to strike twelve. I wanted to say something, but he went right on.

“Teach the Children”, he said as the twisting and pulling suddenly dislodged a small Christmas tree from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on the big Christmas tree. The deep green of the fir tree was perfect background for the ornament. Here was the second color of Christmas.

“The pure color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round,” he said. “This depicts the everlasting hope of mankind. Green is the youthful, hopeful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward ~ symbolic of man’s returning thoughts toward heaven. The great, green tree has been man’s best friend. It has sheltered him, warmed him, made beauty for him, formed his furniture.” Santa’s eyes were beginning to twinkle now as he stood there. Suddenly I heard a soft tinkling sound. As it grew louder, it seemed like the sound of long ago.

“Teach the Children, that as the lost sheep are found by sounds of the bell, so should it ring for men to return to the fold; it means guidance and return; it further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord.” As the soft sound of the bell faced into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast an eerie glow about the darkened room. Odd shapes in the shadow slowly danced and weaved upon the walls.

“Teach the Children,” whispered Santa, “that the candle shows man’s thanks for the star of long ago. It’s small light is the mirror of starlight. At first candles were placed on the Christmas Tree ~ they were like many glowing stars shining against the dark green. Safety now has removed the candles from the tree and the colored lights have taken over in the remembrance.”

Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow ribbon and said, “A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men should be tied ~ all of us together, with the bonds of good will toward each other. Goodwill forever is the message of the bow.”

Now I wondered what else Santa had in his bag. Instead of reaching in his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and began to reach up on the Christmas tree. I thought he was hungry as he reached for a candy cane, purposely placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.

“Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherds crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep to the fold. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy is the symbol that we are our brother’s keeper.”

Santa then paused. He seemed to realize he should be on his way. Later would be his big day. As he looked about the room, a feeling of satisfaction showed in his face. He read wonderment in his eyes and I am sure he sensed my admiration on this night. He was his old self as he approached the front door. The twinkle in his eye gave Santa away; I knew he wasn’t through yet. He reached into his bag and brought forth a large holly wreath. He placed it on the fireplace and said,

“Please Teach the Children the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love; it never ceases, stops or ends. It is one continuous round of affection. The wreath does double duty. It is made of many things and in many colors. It reminds us all of the things of Christmas. Please Teach the Children.”

I pondered and wondered and thrilled with delight, As I saw and viewed all those symbols that night. I dozed as I sat in the soft candle light, And my thoughts were of Santa and all he made right.

To give and to help, to love and to serve, Are the best things of life, all men can deserve. Old Santa Claus that jolly fat little elf, Is the very best symbol of Christmas itself.

He’s the sign of the gift of love and of life, The ending of evil, the ceasing of strife. His message to me on the pre-Christmas night, Has opened a treasure of deepest insight.

The one thing on earth we all ought to do, Is the teaching of children the right and the true.

This song became very much a classic ever since it was released by B’z in 1992. Since then, there have been many covers of the song performed by various musicians.

There are three versions I want to discuss:

-Original song by B’z*. This version is arguably the most depressing, though not what you may expect simply by reading what one thinks of it. For my case, I knew about this song very ahead of time but decided to save it for Christmas season to listen, and I did (who listens to Christmas songs in spring?). Upon my initial listens, I fully confess that the acoustic guitar made me feel very sad, to where I felt like crying. Now, upon reading the lyrics you’d think it’s a fantastic love song to sing to your significant other. That is until you reach the end…

Standing by myself now, all around me are people who walk by fast
Everyone hugging presents with such happy faces

That implies the protagonist of the story within the song has lost his significant other, and is now all alone. Sad, isn’t it?

-English vocal cover by Eric Martin. Arguably my favourite out of the three, this version has a more positive tone to it, accompanied by the fantastic rock instruments which makes this version very good. It also makes one feel great respect for Eric Martin, who has a long history of singing. Here are the lyrics if you need them.

-Cover by Gackt and Ayumi Hamasaki. A peaceful and calm rendition of the song, covered by two of the most famous Japanese artists. Both artists admire the original song by B’z, and have listed it as their favourite Christmas tune every year. Here’s what Gackt has to say about the song:

“It’s such a sad song. I don’t know why, but every time I listen to it, I feel like walking outside on the street.”

I’m really amused by how at the end of the song, Ayumi looks so happily humble while Gackt looks absolutely dead serious.

-There’s also a very obscure classical version by David Angell/Phillip Keveren that you can buy off of iTunes. Here’s a preview.

*This song actually has its own music video, but personally I believe it deviates from the song’s meaning by a lot. Also to note, the video itself looks like it has nothing to do with Christmas. That is why I didn’t link to it.

♫Christmas time has come to town~ Christmas time for you and me~~♫

Also, listen to the more calm and relaxing Silent Night version of the song.

Bet you didn’t expect that.

It’s Hard Out There for a Mall Santa

Getting paid to dress up as cheery, chubby Santa Claus may seem like a cushy seasonal job, but the truth is, it’s hard out there for a Santa — especially a mall Santa.

Just ask professional Santa Claus Tom Carmody, a former high school teacher who’s been “Clausing” for the past eight years, four of which were spent at malls around the U.S.

Carmody told AOL News that being a professional mall Santa is a tougher job than most people realize. Turns out, only the strong survive.

“You have to be partially deaf to deal with the constant noise around you,” Carmody joked. “That, and extreme patience and an ability to stay in character at all times — even when your shift is over.”

Carmody, who’s played jolly old St. Nick at malls in Washington, D.C., Cincinnati and Chicago, said the typical steady mall gig consists of 10-hour shifts up to seven days a week for roughly two months between early November and Christmas Eve.

But for “naturally bearded” Santas like himself, the role continues even after clocking out.

“It’s much harder for us to blend in because we look like Santa with or without the costume. It becomes a real challenge when you’re eating at a restaurant after your shift and you realize that your every move is being observed by kids around you. You have to behave,” he explained.

Carmody recalled a time when he was grabbing a bite after work at an Applebee’s and absentmindedly decided to have a beer with dinner.

“I heard a little boy say to his mom, ‘I didn’t know Santa drank beer,’ and I immediately knew I made a mistake. Beer is a major no-no for Santa. So is smoking, since it turns your beard yellow.”

Another challenge for a mall Santa is that big red suit, which can get very hot under those bright lights and photo cameras.

Carmody said his trick during his mall Santa days was to wear a “cooling vest” under his coat — a special vest filled with ice packs to keep himself from overheating.

Then, of course, there’s the number of unexpected things that can happen on the job, including bratty kids throwing objects at Santa.

Seriously. Carmody said he was once hit in the head with a strawberry that some naughty child flung from a few stories above in an attempt to be funny. Santa was not amused.

He also admitted he’s been puked on “just a little” by babies on the job, but he’s never been farted or peed on by kids, so that’s a plus.

“People always ask if a kid has ever peed on my lap, but that’s never happened to me,” he said with a jolly laugh. “Really, it’s not that bad. Being a mall Santa was never intolerable, just exhausting.”

“I did get older kids tugging at my beard and questioning my validity, though, especially middle-school children who had outgrown Santa. They were the hardest to please, but I’d just talk to them about the spirit of giving.”

Carmody has also had to deal with endless crying children, particularly those between the ages of 10 months and 3 years old, who tend to freak out the minute they’re on Santa’s lap.

“I don’t make them cry. It’s the separation anxiety from their parents. One minute they’re with Mom and the next they’re on some stranger’s lap, so of course they’re going to cry,” he said.

That’s exactly how parents wind up with those typical crying shots of their kids with Santa. You know, the ones they dig up every Christmas to embarrass you in front of everyone.

To avoid those mall Santa meltdowns, Carmody said he developed several strategies. First, he would suggest the parents appear with their babies in the photograph so the child wouldn’t experience that sudden separation anxiety.

He’d also have kids sit by themselves in his chair while he sneaked up behind them in the picture. They wouldn’t even see him, avoiding a crying crisis altogether.

However, that type of picture might wind up on Sketchy Santas, a website featuring photos of creepy Santas.

While tears can be averted by a good mall Santa, embarrassing moments are inevitable.

Carmody said his most cringe-worthy moment as Kris Kringle was the time he was taking a picture with a man and a woman in their 20s who appeared, at least to him, to be a couple very much in love.

“They were on my lap and I told them to smile and think about the first time they kissed and they looked at me with utter shock and screamed, ‘We’re brother and sister!’ I was so embarrassed. That’s what you get for making assumptions.”

Other memorable moments have come from the funny gifts kids request when they’re sitting on his lap, including live dinosaurs.

“The weirdest request I ever got was from a 5-year-old girl who asked for a debit card for Christmas. Not a doll, not a bike, but a debit card. I couldn’t believe it,” he recalled.
Still, no matter what happens at the mall, Carmody said a Santa’s attitude must always remain upbeat and positive.

“Even if you’re in a bad mood, you have to become the loving, giving, cheerful spirit of Santa Claus. It’s your duty, if you’re one of the good ones,” he added.

Take notes, bad Santas.

Of course, not just anyone can be a mall Santa.

Although Carmody believes he was “born” to play St. Nick, he also had extensive training.

He graduated from the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Michigan — known as “the Harvard of Santa schools” — where he earned a master’s in mall “Clausing.”

And though his mall days are behind him, he can still be found donning a red suit for Santa Claus & Co. in Colorado, a professional Santa-booking company that hires out Santas for parties and events.

Just don’t pee on his lap.

Link to news article.

Early stories of Ded Moroz presented him as an evil sorcerer who liked to freeze people and kidnap children, carrying them in a giant sack. In order for him to give back the children, parents were to give him presents as ransom.

What a way to ruin a current-day Russian’s childhood by telling them this story. Don’t you think?

Anyway, the influence of Orthodox traditions changed the character of Ded Moroz completely, later adapting certain traits of the Dutch Sinterklass (or Saint Nicholas), who was the prototype of Santa Claus. Eventually, Ded Moroz became the version Russians know today.

The reason why Ded Moroz is in blue (though there are images depicting him in red) is so that he won’t be mistaken as Santa Claus.

Here’s a quick video of Father Frost and Santa Claus together.

This year, GLONASS will be tracking Ded Moroz for the first time as he treks during New Years Eve, similar to how NORAD tracks Santa yearly on Christmas Eve.

*Technically it’s translated as “Grandpa Frost” but nobody cares.