Advent Day 11: Santaland Diaries

Today's Advent goodie is an hour long program from the This American Life archives titled "Christmas and Commerce". Of particular note is David Sedaris's story "Santaland Diaries".

The diaries are about David's two Christmas seasons working as an elf in Macy's department store on New York's Herald Square.

Lean about his job qualifications (he is short), elf training, the different types of elves, and the general indignities of being a 40 year old man working in costume ("22000 people came to see Santa today and not all of them were well behaved."). It's a story for anyone who has taken a slightly silly job, during Christmastime or otherwise. The story runs from 4:15 to 25:27.

Tags: Christmas, Advent, shopping, radio