Baby's First Christmas

This American Life

社会与文化

2022-12-23

56 分钟
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People experiencing Christmas in brand new ways, giving the holiday even more meaning. Prologue: Ira introduces us to Santa Allen. A man who is NOT the real Santa Claus but who will – for the first time ever – be sitting in a chair, dressed as Santa, asking little children what they want for Christmas this year.  He’s nervous. (4 minutes) Does Santa Believe in Himself?: Producer Aviva DeKornfeld accompanies Santa Allen to his first “chair gig” to see whether all of his hopes, or all of his fears, or a little of both, will be realized. (16 minutes) Jews for Jesus, for Just One Day: Alex Edelman grew up in an Orthodox Jewish household in Boston. But one year, unexpectedly, his family decided to celebrate Christmas – for what he says are very Jewish reasons. (15 minutes) Buffalo Girls Can’tcha Come Out Tonight: Our former colleague Neil Drumming has never seen “It’s a Wonderful Life” – which makes no sense given that he’s seen almost every other movie there is. Executive Editor Emanuele Berry takes it upon herself to change Neil’s life forever, or not at all, by showing him the film for the first time. (10 minutes) Single Bells: Scaachi Koul is commemorating a Christmas first of her own – and ON her own – this year.
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  • Alan is not the real Santa Claus.

  • The guy in the North Pole, obviously, I say, the stunning little kids who might be listening to me right now, that guy in the North Pole is amazing.

  • Alan is not that guy.

  • Alan's just a guy who dresses up as Santa sometimes.

  • Alan doesn't have Santa's flying reindeer.

  • Alan doesn't have legions of elves backing him up.

  • And most of all, Alan doesn't have his years of experience.

  • This is my first year as Santa.

  • My first.

  • Oh, I'm going the wrong way.

  • He's driving to his very first chair gig.

  • Okay, I'm.

  • I'm so nervous.

  • I, I, I'm.

  • I'm nervous.

  • I am really, really nervous.

  • A chair gig, you sit in a chair, talk to kids about what they want for Christmas.

  • One of our producers, Aviva Dekornfeld, rode with him to this job.

  • This was in Redlands, California, an hour or so east of Los Angeles.

  • Alan, he's an earnest guy with a kind face who, and he would tell you this himself, tends to overthink things a little.