Holiday pop quiz: Name the jolly guy who makes a long, long trip from the great white North, carrying important packages to spread love and Christmas cheer…
…Santa Claus? Oh, he’s a good guy, we like him, too. But today we’re talking about Alaskan trucker John Schank. The Alaska Trucking Association’s Driver of the Year, John was given the honor of driving the Capitol Christmas Tree from Tacoma, Washington to Washington, D.C. It was a 4000-mile trek, but John was the best guy for the job. In his 40-year career, John has driven 5 million miles!
The tree, like John himself, is Alaskan in origin. A Lutz spruce tree from the Chugach forest, it was shipped by boat to Tacoma, where it was secured to John’s sleigh of choice – a large flatbed truck.
With his bright demeanor and fluffy white beard, John invites comparisons to Kris Kringle. Kids’ faces light up when they see him, whether he’s toting a tree, or just standard cargo.
The theme for this year’s tree is “A Gift from the Great Land.” But thankfully, John didn’t also have to decorate. He enjoyed a few days in our nation’s capital, seeing the sights, before he was flown home, courtesy of Alaskan Airlines. While he reclined in First Class, enjoying letting someone else drive, the little elves in D.C. set about decorating. Alaskan students and artists made over 4000 ornaments to adorn both the main tree, and several companion trees at the Capitol.
I’m not sure who had the job of putting the angel on top of the tree. At a whopping 74 feet, it undoubtedly took a ladder and some guts. Have you ever heard the story of how the first angel got up on top of the tree? Grab your cocoa and settle in…
It was Christmas Eve and NOTHING was going right. Mrs. Claus had burned all the cookies, the elves were complaining about holiday pay, and the reindeer had been drinking eggnog all afternoon. Santa was furious. “I’ve got to deliver millions of presents all over the world in just a few hours, and I don’t even have a Christmas tree! I sent that stupid little angel out HOURS ago to find a tree and he isn’t even back yet! What am I going to do?”
Just then, the little angel opened the front door and stepped in from the snowy night, dragging a Christmas tree. “Yo, fat man!” hollered the angel. “Where do you want me to stick the tree?”
Watch where you put your Christmas cheer this weekend,
~Bob
