We’ve been told since we were kids that we better not pout because Santa is coming to town.
That got me thinking, what would he bring this town if he delivered public gifts to Flandreau? Even though we’ve done a bit of collective pouting over the year about things we don’t like around here, let’s start a gift list. It won’t be comprehensive because we always want more, of course.
•What if his main present would be the magic completion of the intersections and sidewalk ramps and yards left unfinished as part of the First Avenue water and sewer project? Why wait until spring when Santa could grant that wish on the night of Dec. 24? All residents, but particularly those who have lived through more than a year of inconvenience, would marvel at that present when they woke up on Christmas.
“Ho, ho, ho,” everyone would say in unison. But that project can’t buy its own good luck so Santa most likely would get snowed in somewhere else or break a runner on his sled and never make it to Flandreau with that on our wish list.
•Several folks want better, emphasizing safer, crosswalks for children who walk to school and a biking and pedestrian trail that links the park east of town to the west entrance to Flandreau. The thing is, those kinds of projects take a heavy lift of volunteerism, money and governmental approvals. But with Santa on board, it should go much more smoothly.
How do we feel about a red lane for those bikes and candy-striped painted crosswalks? Let’s get in the spirit of this idea and maybe it will come true.
•Hams. We so desperately want to taste those Flandreau Locker hams and dried beef spread like we used to. Call it nostalgia or call it trained tastebuds, we can tell the difference between “our” hams and hams from other towns. Let’s hope Santa’s elves can come in and get the locker going. It’s hard to be patient for another year.
In the meantime, it’s a tough choice but maybe we can live on peanut brittle and anise candy, specialties from the Flandreau Bakery. We hope Santa, like the rest of us, catches the smell of the anise candy wafting in the air this holiday season. He will be hooked.
•Food in general is scarce for some families in our community. Feeding South Dakota this year told us that Moody County is one of the underserved counties in eastern South Dakota. The Breadbasket guest numbers have grown too. Several local good boys and girls have helped with donations and even a new afterschool milk program for children at the Boys and Girls Club of Moody County.
But this need seems pretty large. Even with all kinds of organizations helping the hungry, this might be a good time to call on the guy in the big red suit to help with a big problem.
•Buckets, mops and brooms. Flandreau’s 150th birthday is coming and we haven’t felt more in the mood to clean in years. Local Army National Guard soldiers hauled away semi after semi of debris and basic junk this summer during a city-wide cleanup.
All that’s left should be the nitty gritty, the sweeping and moping and spit-shine we will need for next July’s celebration.
•Santa will most likely want to throw in some stocking stuffers, and there could be a lot to go around. A song in our hearts. A gentleness and acceptance in our spirits when it comes to how we treat our neighbors. A smile on our lips with kind words that follow.
Merry Christmas, Flandreau!
