Spider-Man Doesn't Exactly Scream Christmas....

Cocaine Princess here.

With so many holiday parties, gatherings and dinners left, right and center I'm already jingled out and it's only the first week of December.  

Anyways, last weekend I headed to the mall to do Christmas shopping. After parking the car (thank God the malls are offering valet parking this time of year) I entered inside bravely battling the crowds. I've seen a lot of things in my life but while shopping I witnessed something that I'd never seen before. First, let me all ask you a question? Have you ever seen a monk at the mall shopping? I'd never seen one until last Saturday. I was exiting one of the stores when I spotted him. Take a look at the pic below. I think he's a monk?

I stood to one side observing his activities. He would stop random shoppers, hold their hands and then hand them a piece of paper. I'm not sure what exactly was written on the paper but I assume a passage from the Bible or a type of blessing. Shortly after people would open their wallets up without any hesitation and in return the monk would put the donations in his pouch and then shake their hands.

What surprised me was how open people were with their wallets because nearby
was a person from the Salvation Army with their kettle and jingling their bells for attention and not too far from Sally Ann was a table set up by World Vision. Representatives would stop shoppers by asking if they were interested in giving the gift of sponsoring a child? Hardly anyone was dropping any change into the kettle while others simply either ignored or nodded their heads no to the World Vision people. I don't know, could it have been maybe the monk had people skills and that's how he was able to get people to talk to him? My initial reaction was, 'Are monks allowed to speak?' I googled the question and yes. Yes they are. There are different orders of monks and depending on their vows certain monks are allowed to speak.

I'm not too sure what shocked me more: seeing a monk at the mall or a monk at the mall in front of Victoria's Secret? 

Here are a couple of other pics I took that day: 

Santa made his arrival in grand style. I tried taking a pic of the Big Guy but the crowd was filled with so many little ones and their parents that it was near impossible to get a clear and good shot however, here is his merry band. 

Boy, they look like a pretty rough bunch of guys....especially the one with the banjo.

And look who decided to join in on the festivities:

Hmm, I'm not really getting the holiday connection after all Spidey doesn't exactly scream Christmas but he was more than happy to pose for me.

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Some may say the song is way over~played but I'm not going to lie, I love, love, love Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You." Earlier this week she preformed her famous hit on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" backstage with Jimmy Fallon, and The Roots, all performing with instruments found in an elementary school classroom and with the help of elementary students. If you haven't seen it, check out the clip below:

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My loyal and dear readers, it's finally Friday.

Whatever your plans are have a cheeky weekend. ~x

XOXOXOXO,

Cocaine Princess