Christmas on Mercer is such a fun community event each year in Dripping Springs! My real estate office, Magnolia Realty Austin Hill Country, is located behind Mazama Coffee on College Ave. and we always have booths at the local festivals and events.
Last year was my first year with Magnolia Realty and I loved having our booth in front of Vintage Soul (where my entire wardrobe is from) on Mercer. We handed out tons of Magnolia Journal magazines and totes, free wassail and cookie decorating. It was a hit in 2021!
This year when we were brainstorming ideas someone joked about having a Grinch theme and the performer in me (playing a shepherd in Grandmas’ Christmas pageant and being a killer when playing charades each year) volunteered to dress up as the Grinch.
Then I thought… what did I just do? I’m 37… not 13…
A few weeks later we ordered an Amazon costume that was the least scary looking one online, but when we got it the mask was suffocating with only two tiny holes to vent it and there was NO way I could wear it more than a few minutes at a time without feeling panicky for air.
I needed another solution… fast.
I searched every option last week- hiring a professional Grinch, renting a giant mascot costume, overnighting a hollywood costume from out of state and even ordering a movie worthy mask off of etsy… but none of them were going to work out.
Right when I was giving up I saw Anna Chapovalov post on Belterra Neighbors about her body painting and airbrushing skills. I reached out right away and we began texting and planning for a crazy face paint job for the Grinch. I am so thankful for immediate and incredible customer service from other professionals! We texted until late that night with ideas and plans.
I have to admit that I was more willing to be the Grinch when I was less exposed, behind a mask where the community had NO idea who I was. Having airbrushing and it being so attention grabbing was a little scary feeling, but I had already committed… so I had to muster up my courage and just go for it.
I kept thinking… “This is either going to burn my professional image to the ground… or build an empire!” Ha!
After I got my face painting done I couldn’t BELIEVE how incredible it was. I spent an hour in Anna’s chair as she painted and airbrushed such an incredible Grinch. I knew she had placed 7th in the world in the 2021 airbrushing competition… but I was STILL blown away with the detail!
I drove out of her home in Belterra in full costume laughing the whole way to my house. I scared my boys when I walked in, grabbed my Santa bag and walked to Mercer Street to begin working the Magnolia Realty booth.
While I was walking along RR 12 people started laughing, honking and waving and it was like I was born for this kind of job. Courage welled up in me and I fully embraced this weird thing I signed up for.
I walked across RR12 to Mercer and the Hays County Sheriff’s department called me over and asked me if I would take a photo of Santa arresting me. I’m waiting (and hoping) for my Century News cameo…
I went into full blown character from that second on until about 5:15 PM that night!
I had watched a few hours of youtube of Grinch impersonators to learn how to nail the walk and character down as best as I could, and as reluctant as I thought I would be to act all Grinchy… it all came tumbling out without holding back. (omg… I still am laughing thinking about it!)
I took hundreds and hundreds of photos with locals walking around (I only had 2 kids scream in terror and run away), hugged a ton of random people, talked to countless children and had the TIME OF MY LIFE! I will never forget the look on my sons friend’s faces after we took a photo and I leaned over and told them I was Silas and Solomon’s mom. They looked at me wide eyed and started laughing!
It was priceless!
Thank you to Magnolia Realty for working tirelessly to prep for this festival, come up with fun ideas, stuff bags, hand out magazines, talk to parents, make Reindeer food with kids and serve Grinch Punch and Wassail. I truly work with the best people and was so thankful for their support and fun work environment!! To everyone who came and took a photo of me- thank you! I’ve so enjoyed seeing them all on social media!!
Maybe next year I will be an even BETTER Grinch!
Thinking about moving to this area? Need a Realtor who wants to be NEXT LEVEL in customer service? Reach out to me to begin! I won’t be a Grinch, but I’ll definitely try to earn your 5 star review! Call or email to get started today laurenclark@magnoliarealty.com or 512-569-8480
