Santa Claus, Indiana

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus Indiana. I was driving along and saw a sign that it was about five miles off the interstate. Obviously, I had to go there. Among other things, it had the biggest Christmas store I've ever seen. I can't even begin to explain how vast and tinsely and commercial it was. The number of different types of items was amazing. For example, a section that had white teddy bears dressed in every conceivable sports teams apparel.  I was there for about two hours and am all maxed out. I can't imagine living there year-long. I have only a certain amount of Christmas spirit I can deal expend. For 2013, I'm already pretty much used up and its just April.

 

 

As a happy coincidence, Santa Claus was about 5 miles from where Abraham Lincoln lived as a boy. So I had to visit that, too. His log house is all gone now, but it has the foundation and you can see what the area he lived in is like. It also has a small pioneer cemetery that contains Nancy Hanks' (his mother) grave. I knew there was some kind of thing where he grew up, but didn't really have any plans to visit it. I'm glad I did. Their gift shop had coonskin caps and his tall top hats for sail. I didn't buy any, but the temptation was strong. There are quite a few places that try to get a piece of the Lincoln pie. Lincoln Memorial University just south of me has a good sized museum. His boyhood home in Indiana; Springfield, Illinois where he lived as a man; Washington D.C... There are also some of his things in museums in Dearborn, MI, and Chicago, but I've never been to those. I also haven't been to his birthplace which is in Kentucky. I'll need to do that someday.

 

Anyway, it seems to be neck and neck between Santa and Abe as two who can cash in the most on them. My sentimental favorite is Abe, but I think the smart money is on Santa.