Jolly Ol' Visit

 

I wasn't quite sure how to approach this years' visit with Mr. Kringle. Should I try and prepare the children weeks before our impending visit, randomly plopping them down on strange mens' laps who happened to be sporting a white beard? Or should I take the surprise attack tactic and leisurely walk into the mall whistling a merry tune, then BAM, "Kids, we're going to see Santa today"?.

I chose the latter. I thought that would be the less painful way, so they wouldn't be able to spend too much time worrying about it. Kind of like the time I went to the dentist for a "consult" and was told, after I was secured in the chair that I would, in fact, be getting a root canal that very day.

We came prepared. Tate's favorite "blue key" (blue blanket) was still in the drier when we left home so we grabbed his second favorite "kee key" (green blanket) and were on our way. I figured he would have to be pried off my person like last year and I wanted the poor little guy to have at least an ounce of comfort during his 30 seconds of misery.

I also thought the surprise tactic would work well on David, too. He hasn't graced us with his presence during too many of these visits in years past. And I didn't want him to try and talk me out of going on his day off. We had planned to get the Christmas tree this afternoon after we all picked Reese up from school. As we were pulling the van out of the school parking lot, I announced we would first be making a quick stop to see Santa. This was met with mixed responses. Reese was excited and started planning what she was going to ask him for. Drue said, "Nooooo". Tate just loves all things Christmas and looked eager. And David said, "WHAT?!".

There was no line. Just one little family was still milling around the big guys' knee. Tate ran on ahead and began exploring the little village props. Reese was right up with him. Drue was trying to blend in to the back of my jeans and holding tight to my hand.

Santa greeted my herd and I got into position to run after a screaming Tate. Tate did run. Toward Santa! And hopped right up on his knee like he was his long lost Grandpa, grinning from ear to ear. Reese hopped up on his other knee. And for one tiny second I thought this visit would go off without a hitch.

I turned to finagle Drue off my pant leg and position her just right on the arm of the oversized chair, but she was having no part of it. She didn't make a scene. She just quietly kept saying "No....no.....no". I know, I'm heartless. All for the sake of a picture.

I first tried to talk her into standing next to the chair. "No".

David pointed to a smaller chair behind us that I could pull in front and have her sit on. "No".

Santa was sweetly trying to coax her somewhere near the vicinity and had heard us calling her "Druebie". He thought her name was "Ruby". So he kept saying "Here Ruby, come over this way....".

He finally said, "I have an idea".

Which I enthusiastically repeated to Drue, "Santa has an idea!".

He let us in on his plan to stand behind the chair and have all the kids sit in the chair.

I could have kissed him. If David hadn't been standing 5 feet away next to the camerawoman....

Reese and Tate slid off his lap and assumed their positions. That's when Drue got up there and leaned into Reese. That was so sweet to watch. Sisters who can fight over who gets to sit at the front of the bath and get upset when the other one looks out their car window....can always count on each other in their time of need.