Ignore the Status Quo

In-store Santa

A/N This is just a short little story in the holiday spirit! I hope everyone is having fun this winter. Hanukkah is coming up! Don't forget to buy presents. Vote if you enjoyed it, thanks!

'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!' Alice's phone rang out amidst the other Christmas carols playing from the condo radio. It was the beginning of December, and now, since thanksgiving was over, everyone was allowed to freak out over Christmas all they wanted. Every other car had a tree tied to the top and was blasting Christmas carols. The town was in full Christmas swing. The girls had been out in the snow, skiing, making snow angels, and other snow-related activities. Little decorations were popping up around the condo; little Santa's on the mantle, mistletoe over the front entrance, and a wreath on the front door. The stores had similar decor, just much more enthusiastic. All of the workers seemed to be dressed as some sort of Christmas character, no matter the place. Alice herself had encountered about four Rudolph's this weekend alone.
As she walked over to the counter, Trea and Isabel were struggling with keeping a Christmas painting up. They had about four thumbnails in the wall and six staples holding it all together. Alice smiled to herself, but made no effort to help. Those two had been the cause of all the decorations littering the condo. Alice hopped over a box of tinsel and picked up her phone.
"Hello?" She asked. The response was many loud voices that seemed to be mixed with buzzing and beeping. "Hello?" She tried again.
"Alice! Oh thanks god!" The voice of Jason Milton came through the phone. Alice's boyfriend had taken a job at a nearby Macy's as a cashier, and so far had been forced to wear a Santa hat, antlers, and a set of elf ears. All of which were hilarious to Alice when Jason tried to complain. Alice could only wonder what was currently happening in the store.
"Alice, please! I really need your help!" Jason called though the phone. She sighed and sat down.
"Ok, calm down, what do you need help with?"
"Well, last week we hired our in store Santa and elf. But they just called in and said they were sick! So my manager asked my to act as the Santa for them!" At this, Alice snorted. Picturing Jason in a Santa suit was too much.
"Well, what do you need my help for?" She questioned.
"We don't have an elf to go with me!" Alice frowned. Then sighed again.
"Jason..." She started.
"Please, Alice! It's only for an hour! I can get you those really nice chocolates from that store that you like." He bribed. And that was how Alice found herself leaving the decorating party early, not exactly willing to become the elf that her boyfriend was asking for.
When she arrived at the Macy's, every inch of the store was covered in Christmas. In the middle of the store was a large, circular space set up with a big chair/throne thing covered in tinsel, ribbons, and fake snow. Jason was sitting right in the middle of it.
Sighing, she accepted a pair of elf ears from a clerk holding a pile of them. Alice pulled off her coat and grabbed a sparkly scarf as she made her way over to Jason.
"This had better be worth it." She said as she sat down next to 'Santa'. Kids started to make their way into the store, and many of them visibly brightened when they saw Jason and Alice decked out. Many children dragged their parents over to the line that had already started to form. At the front of said line was a little girl in a puffy blue winter jacket. Alice smiled at her and bent down.
"Would you like to talk to Santa, sweetie?" She asked and held out her hand. The girl nodded enthusiastically. Alice picked her up and set her in Jason's lap.
"Ho Ho Ho! What would you like for Christmas little child?" He said in a deep voice.
"Well, Santa..." As the kid rattled off her list, Alice looked at the ever growing line. This was going to be a long time.

"Thank you Santa!" Shouted the last little boy as he jumped off Jason's lap to his two mothers. They both waved back at the teens, smiling as the boy spoke about his visit with Santa.
"Finally!" Alice cried out as she pulled of the scarf that had been itching her for the past 20 minutes. They both began to shed their Christmas costumes, handing back each article to the attendants. Both Alice and Jason smiled weakly at each other. They glanced around the store at the people who were leaving, weighed down by their purchases, smiles gracing their faces.
"Well, that was, different..." Alice stated turning towards her boyfriend. She shook the remaining glitter from her hair and laughed. She took Jason's hand, pulling him out to the door.
"Come on, I'm having a chocolate craving!" The two grinned and walked out the door.