We debated whether or not to take Lilli to see Santa for a few weeks. We went through a variety of excuses before we decided that we couldn't be responsible for her missing out on some of the essential traditions of being a kid. Visiting Santa is something I remembered doing as a kid and thought it was our duty as parents to include Lilli in this cultural custom.
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(Trying on her Santa hat, she was in tears moments before this photo was taken)
So we dressed the little one in her Christmas dress, packed a bag of snacks and books, and headed over to the dreaded mall. We got there an hour before the end of Santa's break, so we stood at the end of a very long line of restless children and grumpy parents. I took her around the mall while Dave stood in line, we passed her back and forth trying to keep her entertained, and even bribed her content with snacks and dippin' dots ice cream.
We stood in line for two hours, and in comparison to some of the children in line, she was happy and very well behaved. Other children were crying, fighting, and destroying anything in their way. Some parents were threatening their children, other's grabbing them by their arms, yelling at them to calm down. We stood quietly, singing songs and pointing out words she did not know. At one point towards the end of our journey, Dave held her and I read her a book while a few kids gathered nearby watched over our shoulder. And then we were at the velvet rope, waving to Santa and Mrs. Claus and saying "ho, ho, ho!"
Unfortunately, that is the end of this happy story. Of course a 15 month old wants nothing to do with a grumpy, sweaty stranger a full costume. She screamed the second Dave put her down, she refused to sit on his lap and instead we got a quick picture while she stood next to them looking at mom instead of the camera.
Afterwards, I felt exhausted and found myself wondering whether this is a tradition we want to include in our family's future. Sure, it is one that I have in my memory, but Santa was also played by a family member or close family friend. Maybe next year we'll reconsider our decision to follow the cultural norms. She would have been happier to share some ice cream with us and walk around somewhere new. Next year she may be able to express her interest, or lack there of, and instead we will spend some quality time together not cattle herded into a line of screaming kids and angry parents.
Perhaps we'll change our mind when the spirit of the holidays takes over our brains and convinces us that we must participate in all that the season has to offer. Maybe next year my guilt of keeping her from the every day joys (and grief) of being a kid will overtake my sensibility and she will have a 2010 photo of her standing next to Santa looking the opposite direction of everyone else. Either way, she still steals our hearts no matter how the picture turns out.
Happy Holidays!
"Song of the Entry"
(song picked by Lilli)
