My in-laws throw a great Christmas Party every year for the family. There's great food, tons of excited cousins, a Santa appearance, and a ride through the Thanksgiving Point light display all together on a rented out trolley. Jason got stuck in the middle of a door replacing project that proved to have more twists and turns in it than a M.Night Shyamalan movie. He had to stay home to get our house secured again while Rudy and I went to the party. That was the only downer of the night. At least Jason's absence motivated me to take some pictures!
Mom made a Santa's List of Good Boys and Girls book that she has the parents add to each year. She has us put down some of the highlights of the child's behavior or accomplishments this year, and then one thing that the child could work on in the up coming year. It's a great tool for the parents-the kids age 3 to 6 really take Santa seriously after they see how well he knows them. When he asks them to work harder on not throwing fits or keeping their rooms clean, they solemnly agree to do so. This year the Santa they hired was really great cause he sympathized with the kids and confessed that sometimes even Santa forgets to make his bed, or whatever. So now they're working on their weak spots right along with Santa Claus.
We don't make a big deal about Santa in our house (and Rudy's barely two) so he didn't really care much about him. He was more interested in the rubber spider one of his cousins had found for him. I don't think he even accknowledged that Santa was talking to him. Oh well, it was still fun to watch, and maybe next year he'll actually interact with him.
Santa's chat with Rudy
Santa giving Rudy his gift after their chat.
The Trolley was great, 'cause Rudy's really into the Mister Rogers trolley (and all things on wheels for that matter). He spent most of the time sitting next to his favorite cousin, Berkley. I think he likes her the best because she's the oldest of the girls who like to fuss over him, so she does the best knowing when to back off and give him some air. :)
Rudy and Berkley being all grown up.
Picture with the trolley after the ride
After the trolley, we saw real reindeer in a tiny little kennel right by the trolley. Rudy loved them, and spent quite some time in the frosty evening checking them out and tossing bits of straw to them. I felt bad for those poor animals, though, stuck in a 10 by 10 cage, surrounded by oggling people, with nothing by a baleful of straw on concrete for bedding. Boring! Stressful! Uncomfortable! I wish they would at least keep them pastured and let us go to them if we want to see some real reindeer. Sigh. Christmas comes with both great acts of kindness and love, and atrocious acts of commercialism and insensitivity.
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