One of my favorite holiday songs is called “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”

Well, it is.

For the record, it looks like our merchants had a pretty good weekend, as streets and stores were filled with visitors and customers. And, the super light show at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is drawing huge crowds.

Old Santa Claus himself, accompanied by Mrs. Santa, arrived by boat on Saturday and trudged up the hill to the beautiful Memorial Library where he greeted a long line of little ones and their parental units.

Most kids loved it and about 200 picked up their first gifts courtesy of the library staff and volunteers.

When I was a young parent, a visit to Santa was always a good time to learn what the kids hoped to find under the Christmas tree. It also gave us a clue as to the anticipated price of the gift. Like most young families, price was always an object.

As Old Santa sat and greeted his fans, a key member of his entourage smiled and strolled up Townsend Avenue waving at traffic and accepting the puzzled looks from several dogs hanging out the open window of passing SUVs.

My favorite teacher of the vanishing art of newspapering is the acclaimed Don Fry. He always told his students to resist the urge to follow the pack and look for a different side of the story.

With that admonition in mind, I didn’t intrude on Santa’s visits with the kiddies. Instead, I drove up the street, not far from the Opera House and tried to interview a creature resembling a six-foot-tall gingerbread man.

Truth be told, it was not a gingerbread man, but, as Susan Brackett, (his/her) civilian helper explained, the sweet cookie character should be addressed as gingerbread person.

This is the place in this missive where some of our dear readers are going to give out a “Hurrumph” and snort something about “political correctness.”

But, I always try to use the name preferred by the subject of a story. So, when I asked the owner of a popular Wiscasset discount store what his real name was, he answered: “My first name is Big. My last name is Al.” Works for me, was my reply.

Whatever the name, there in all his/her glory, was a dancing version of my favorite Christmas treat, a fuzzy brown, dancing, waving gingerbread cookie.

Ginger had a wide smile, but like lots of gingerbread cookies in years past, the happy character was mute.

So, this meant it would be a tough interview as old Ginger could only answer questions with a shake of the head.

Are you having fun waving to the cars and kids? Ginger nods in the affirmative.

How long have you been out here? Ginger tried to answer by pawing the pavement several times.

“Are you a bit chilly?” Old Ginger pointed to the official Maine Christmas footwear (L.L.Bean duck boots) and shook his/her/its head no.

At this point in the interview, while dodging passing cars and puzzled looks from dogs, a pair of very attractive young ladies stopped to steal a hug or two from Ginger. They were soon followed by a group of happy Christmas shoppers heading towards the center of town as they walked a tiny dog.

“Can we take a picture with you?” asked one lady as she held her smart phone at the ready. Ginger nodded yes and mugged for the camera. The tiny dog did not notice, as he was busy sniffing the corner of a stone wall.

Then I tried to ask Ginger some substantial economic questions, some political questions, but they were all met with the same blank stare. At that point, Susan Brackett, the tireless civic booster and the Queen Bee at the Boothbay Harbor Framers shop, said she and Ginger had to cut the interview short as it was time for a break. Ginger bowed her head indicating yes and did a little dance that told me Brackett was not kidding. And they danced their way down the street to the Opera House.

Then Susan turned and inserted a plug for the cookie person. She said Ginger will be appearing around town at several events in the coming weeks, including; The Festival of Trees, the Paul Sullivan Concert, (Dec. 10) the highlights of our winter social season, the Dough Ball, (Friday Dec. 16), and the Gingerbread Spectacular (Dec. 17 and 18). You can find additional information on our local holiday events in the pages and website of my favorite newspapers.

Merry Christmas to all.