“It’s July 31st.
What is Santa doing in downtown Los Angeles?”
What is Santa doing in downtown Los Angeles?”
That headline was plastered over every newspaper in LA. Retail business was extremely low this summer and they had to boost business or many of them would go out of business. Somebody suggested a way to get sales going…they should start the holiday shopping off early with huge savings.
And that’s how the papers got their front-page story today.
But this was not just some scheme to get shoppers in the stores; this was a full-blown holiday at the mall. They pulled out all the stops. They lowered the temperature in the mall down to sixty-seven degrees. They put up all the decorations throughout the mall and stacked wrapped boxes from the floor to the ceiling. The music from all the speakers in the mall was the same you would hear as if it was Christmas Eve. Everyone who worked in the mall was asked to dress for the holiday, and they did.
They advertised all over TV about the big event with huge savings, holiday cheer and to top it all off, Santa and his elves.
Of course, with children being out of school they saw all the TV ads and begged their parents to go see Santa. Most every request was granted and even though most parents weren’t ready for it, they took their children to go see the jolly old man.
It worked, retail stores thrived and the following Monday the papers front pages were plastered with a new headline:
“Post Holiday Sale! Hurry for Year-End Savings”
copyright Uncle Tee Books
4 comments:
Heheh! I enjoyed this. It does seem that the holiday season starts earlier every year. Thanks for sharing!
I liked how you took the commercialization slant rather than using Santa as a real person. The next day's headline was a funny touch.
Wow, love it! Great satire about consumerism. And you did it in only, what? 300 words? I'd love to be able to write like that!
mine at:
http://anandserpi.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/the-old-man-with-the-long-white-beard/
I have to agree, I hate the commercialization of the season and that it seems to creep earlier and earlier.
Succinct and I suspect after your first edit, cut back to under 250 words, still carrying your wry message in its comical and thoughtful manner. Another great entry for FF.
visitors can see my offering at http://uncleteebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/fiction-friday-july-31-2009.htm
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