http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/1028/feature.htm
23 - 29 December 2010
Issue No. 1028
Features
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875
Where the reindeer roam
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Click to view caption
photos: Sherif sonbol
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A FEW WEEKS before Christmas, writes Sherif Sonbol, I was fortunate enough to
be in the south of Finland, in Kalvia near Kokkola, for an exhibition of my
photos of Cairo. It was snowing. At minus seven-10 degrees it was cold enough,
but I had been told that below zero it no longer mattered, and so when the
exhibition closed and friends from the Kokkola Library suggested that I should
spend the rest of my time in Rovaniemi at the frontier of the north pole, I was
delighted. My daughter, who lives and studies in Germany, agreed to meet me
there.
My excitement had less to do with the weather or the reunion than with the
purpose of the journey, however: to meet Santa; yes, Father Christmas in person
would be opening the Christmas Season on 27 November. I had never heard of
Rovaniemi. I did not realise that Lapland, Santa Klaus's home country -- whence
he sets off on his flying sledge to distribute presents to all the children of
the world, was an actual place that could be visited.
On arrival I found an enormous sac full of clothing waiting for me (the journey
had been arranged through an agency), and it was the first sign that perhaps
below zero is not the same as zero after all. Lapland was not only real but
also fascinating, featuring a wait for the Northern Lights finally cut short by
the appearance of the moon. The cold was incredible; even my camera batteries
died, apparently not to be resuscitated. At the camera shop I could not replace
them, and I bought a 100 euros point- and-shoot to work with. The reindeer farm
followed the Husky dogs' farm -- I was told that, though reindeer are bred
mainly for meat, the Finns do not eat Rudolf -- and we learned to drive a
reindeer sledge.
Later Marja Jalkanen, our expert tour guide, told us the story of how Santa
found his home, which as she described it turned out to be his office as well.
At first Santa wore grey and travelled nonstop; as he grew older and calmer, he
wanted a place to rest and meet his friends. The city was completely destroyed
in WWII, and it was UNICEF's predecessor UNRRA that provided for the
construction of the Arctic Circle Cabin in the course of rebuilding it: a magic
place where there is neither night nor day. Santa liked it there, and (thanks
to a Finnish man's innovation) changed into red, then the Swedes joined in with
their elves and dwarves. And here we are...
After a delicious lunch at Christmas House, we were ceremonially led into
Santa's room; he was warm and welcoming but rather than "Ho ho ho" or "Merry
Christmas", what he said by way of greeting was Assalamu alaykum ! Never mind
that this is the official Muslim greeting, it is also what the angels sang on
Christmas day. The conversation began with "Hello, my children", and when I
objected that we were a little too old for that, Santa said, "Whoever is
younger than 200 is a child to me".
How old are you, Santa? Oh, I don't know. I had a child in your country. He
lived in a place called Thebes and his name was Ramses the Pharaoh. However,
the oldest document that lists my date of birth is the reindeer driving
licence; it says: Very long ago.
What do you have for us in the New Year? Here, in Scandinavia, we have an old
tradition. We do not fight in Christmas time. There should be peace. And I want
this spirit of peace to overrule the world, during Christmas and in the future.
What is the thing that people ask of you most often? I meet and receive letters
from all over the world. In my office you can see many letters from Egypt, and
usually children ask for physical things like toys. Older people have different
wants. They ask for peace and happiness. Unphysical but important. Children
also intervene on behalf of poor or sick friends.
With no more chimneys in the world, how do you deposit your gifts? Do not
worry, I have my own ways. In Finland, you know, Santa had never used chimneys.
I always go in the day time. I knock and ask: Are there any good boys and girls
here? Yes, Santa. Come in please. I here go in daytime and ask and visit people
in their houses.
For my own present I asked for a magic shaving machine and, pointing to his
beard, Santa smiled and said his knowledge was limited in this particular
department. We went out and waited among the crowds for the ceremony to start.
The city municipality came on stage, and in a surprise gesture they donated
100,000 euros to UNICEF, remembering the first aid they ever received. Soon the
children joined the elves on stage before Santa announced the start of
Christmas. Frustrated with my point-and- shoot, I drifted to a place called
Santa's Salmon Place, where I had the best salmon of my life cooked straight on
the fire: no pans. The owner was a very nice man who added that, whenever he
feels like real salmon, here is where Santa comes for lunch.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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