Breakfast with Santa 2011

Last year we missed the breakfast, tackled the mall crowd and overpaid for a picture (you have to by some weird mall Santa parent guilt rule). This year we got up an personal with Santa, well sort of ...the look on Tessa's face when Santa came in was absolutely priceless. She screamed 'Santa' and was smiling as big as she could. And then he started toward the table and she scrambled up me like some sort of crazed animal. Keep your distance odd man, clearly you are acting as a stand in for the big guy...she wouldn't look him in the face. All I was thinking is this is going to a a picture perfect moment.

Once it was time to sit on his lap, I told her she should tell him what she wants for Christmas - and then she spied the candy canes. Immediately I was completely ignored. That was all it took, forget the prospect of gifts, forget the magic of Christmas just give this girl her 'tandy'. And so she sat uncomfortably, whispered Minnie Mouse twice (just in case he had a hard time hearing through the obviously fake beard and hair) and held out her hand. My saving grace is that Tessa uses Please and Thank You (a lot) so it seemed less greedy to those around us.

I can say there were no tears, however I cannot say she gets what "he" does (other than pass out candy and say ho ho ho). She still tells me her aunt TC will be filling the stockings. I hope aunt TC brings me nice things too.