"Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums..." - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
To begin with, who among us has ever wondered what exactly this lyric entails? I found myself asking this very question singing as loud as my heart's content while driving down a desolate Nevada road three days before Christmas.
Later that evening, with my Encyclopedia set in storage, I turned to the trusty internet to find answers. According to this article, the answer was right in front of us all along. One must simply look at the line prior to discover just exactly what is being conveyed: With little tin horns and little toy drums...
Our "rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums" are simply the sound these instruments make. And as simple as Simon speaking to the pieman, one of the world's great mysteries was solved (the article also covers some other holiday-related queries regarding interesting lyrics).
With that: welcome to the Christmas Letter, 2021 edition. (Now in Technicolor™).
Unlocking mysteries from holiday songs aside, the traditions of the season have taken full hold. They began a bit on the early side, compared to most people, as I had a Christmas tree and a few decorations up around my birthday the third week in November. From there, usual shenanigans occurred, with late-year birthdays to celebrate, shopping to be done, and holiday films to enjoy. (I've even begun to log these over on Letterboxd, which you can follow along with an ever-growing holiday list or just stay up-to-date with what I've been watching.)
The year 2021, in some regards, had a sense of normality to it in my little area of the world. Traveling returned to the agenda, including monthly trips to see my mother and brother.
In June, my sister and her family made the trek out west to visit. A journey by car brought them across a variety of states, landing them in Nevada. From there, we piled into two vehicles, totaling nine people and one dog, to make the drive to Bishop, CA.
This is where dad grew up and where his final resting place is. Delayed in the summer of 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions across the country, we were finally able to make it to California to lay him to rest. With many health mandates still in place, we kept this to a small gathering and brief word or two when we visited the cemetery where I'd spent riding my bike in on many summer days during my youth (my grandparents lived right around the corner). Spending a couple of days in the city where I spent summers and occasional Christmases my first 15 years on this planet brought closure, catharsis, and a pinch of nostalgia.
Later in the summer, my mom, brother and I again made the trek to California, this time to the northern part to visit mom's side of the family. It was nice to visit with cousins, uncles, and an aunt, all of who I hadn't seen in six years or so. Plus, there was some good food consumed, home-cooked and otherwise, plus a visit to the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.
The stage at Alley Repertory Theater, the company I've been with for ten years now, had been dark since March of 2020. We'd been working hard to back in October of 2021 with a play called The Royale by Marco Ramirez. And things were coming along, weeks away from opening, when a performer had a possible health and safety issue and the decision was made to postpone this show until March of 2022.
Production rolled right into our holiday show, Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical. I was able to work on this show in the capacity of dramaturge and assistant director. We opened the weekend of Thanksgiving and enjoyed quite a run through December, selling out the last six performances. The joy and gratitude between this cast and crew was amazing, bringing a smile to my face throughout many rehearsals and multiple performances. And am very grateful to the audiences who supported our theater and the arts during this time.
photo by Chaz Gentry
Writing held steady for me in the past year. There were no new books released or plays published, though for the 1st time in a couple of years I did start the early process on a couple of new projects. There was also this short story I wrote that I developed a fondness for.
I do want to take a moment to thank those who have purchased my books and spread the good word. It is so wonderful this holiday season to hear from so many people re-reading Of Snow Forts and Santa, sharing the book with the kids, or reading the book for the first time. It means the world to me that a whole throng of you are enjoying (or have enjoyed) this novella.
The Dragon Slayer, the final book in my fantasy novel series, will hopefully have a release date in the spring of 2022. This project took a backseat the last couple of months but pages have been written as of late and I feel momentum building again.
There was some good news on a television pilot script I wrote, receiving an official semifinalist selection for the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards. And I am still writing about the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and Boston College Eagles over at Chowder and Champions.
The year has truly flown by and dragged along, if that is even physically possible. It seems the days pass by, sometimes in a resolute state and sometimes with my wandering off. It has been a year in which I am thankful for the laughs and the tears, the friends and family. Blessed to experience so much with you in 2021, whether it good, bad, or falling magically in-between. To those near or far, who I've seen in person or simply online (or haven't spoken to in many moons. Sup?), I want to wish you the very best as the year comes to a close and as we enter 2022. May you all find that extra ounce of love and kindness in your life, whether it is given or taken, as we traverse this thing called life.
Wishing you a happy holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy New Year!
*To revisit previous Christmas letters or read for the 1st time, here are a few:
Comments