A Visit with Santa

We do not have a 'set' place where we visit with Santa each year. I do try to avoid the Mall and find places where the kids can actually spend a little time chatting with him without a line of other anxious children watching and waiting. We really hit the jackpot this year! A friend of mine told me about a hotel in Atlanta that had Tea with Santa throughout December. This afternoon we tried it out with Grandmother and Granddaddy. It was a very special experience!They had a dozen delicious and adorable offerings for a real, fancy tea party (we enjoy a MUCH more casual cheez-it and dried cranberry version around here on special afternoons from time to time.) I confess my Mommy nerves were on edge as already excited children inhaled these

while sitting on very nice WHITE sofas. (Clearly a mother did not plan this event!)

Look at those hands and imagine my stress. :-)

Add real china, hot tea that they were serving themselves, an open fireplace and a trio of overstimulated 6 year olds and you have a recipe for an on-edge mama.

Once Santa arrived all my fears were laid to rest. He sat right down on the sofa with our family and spent 5-10 minutes just visiting with us. He was magical with my children. He listened patiently as P explained his latest invention/game (made out of a foam reindeer nose and a drinking straw). P was THRILLED (and had a somewhat suprised look) when Santa pronounced him on 'the good list.'One of the more entertaining moments occurred when P told Santa he wants a calculator for Christmas. Santa chuckled, "I don't hear that very often! Do you want to be an accountant? I'll let you keep books for me one day."

P did not understand what any of this meant...but because he is a COMPLETE bookworm he laughed and smiled broadly. As soon as he got off Santa's lap he ran to me and said, "Mom! Did you hear that! He really knows how I love books! He told me I could keep some of HIS!!!"

R was so excited he could not stop talking to Santa. R told him all about the Wipeout game he wants for the Wii and how if he gets good enough he will "go on da weal show and win like $5,000 dollars."

He also had questions for Santa:

What was his favorite flavor of tea? (peach--conveniently, what my R was drinking)

What sport did he like best? (football and snowball fighting)

K took her turn last. She was so thrilled that she couldn't remember a single thing on her list. She just grinned and giggled and gave Santa a little love.

I love Christmas through the eyes of 6 year olds!!!

I am learning a lot about not letting the wild and woolly moments of wrangling wiggly children overwhelm me and cause me to throw in the towel (or sour my attitude taking my whole family with me!) Honestly, there were a couple of frustrating moments where I thought Seriously, what were we thinking?

But perseverence, perspective and laughter prevailed (eventually). Isn't that the way parenting goes? Why is it so hard for me to exhale and just enjoy sometimes? I am glad I have photos to look back on and realize that while I was in an internal wrestling match with myself over my attitude and my expectations of my children, they were having a good time. Breathe, Mama.

In the end it was a terrific experience that we will surely treasure!