Reindeer Hats

 

Cute in Any Country! 

It was Saturday morning Christmas Eve and I was stuck for an idea of how to entertain/educate 12 squirming squealing 4 year old Korean kids. Being that it was Christmas, I had the added pressure of creating some magical holiday theme, despite the undeniable fact that in Korea "The Holidays" amounts to little more than a display change at the local department stores. Regardless, I was resolute in my goal of imparting to these little ankle-biters the childlike joy and wonderment of Santa and gingerbread men, if not for their benefit, then my own. But how to, how to, how to....

As I often do when confronted with a creative impediment, I resorted to digging through my childhood memories. Lo and behold, there, among sledding hills and snowball fights and I found the perfect thing: Reindeer Hats! As anyone who went to Westwood View Elementary School between the years of '80 and '95 will know, no holiday season is complete without the annual Christmas Concert performance of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Ms. Antenopolis's Kindegarteners all wearing the famed Reindeer Hats. I can still recall making my own, the brown paper-bag cone, the handprint antlers and the big red nose, crudely cut with safety scissors out of metalic shiny tissue. I'm sure it's still kept preserved in my mother's basement.

The project was a hit, as could only be expected. And walking back home after the class, I felt I had a new childhood memory to add to those sledding hills and snowball fights.