We forgot to see Santa yesterday…. The girls and I were at a fundraiser for The Children of Shelters. It is called Santa Fest. We go every year with their cousins. Santa was there, but with all the gingerbread house making, crafting and balloon animals, the picture with Santa just slipped our mind.
I have been seeing on social media lately some really great pictures of kids with Santa. In some the kids are really cute, but in others the kids are terrified.
It is kind of funny to me that we take our children to go sit on a stranger’s lap and ask the stranger for presents. There is also such a huge abundance of Santas everywhere. Last year we were in New York and saw the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Show. They had about 100 Santas on the stage at the same time. Ella was so confused. “Which one is Santa?”.
If Santa is everywhere and everyone has access to him, how is that magical?
Supply and Demand. The economics term I learned in Junior High. Has the supply of Santa outgrown the demand? Is that why it just didn’t seem that important to us to go visit Santa yesterday?
I would love to hear your stories of visiting Santa or what you do to put the magic into Christmas. Next week I am going to feature Santa pictures from readers. If you want to be featured email me your photos. jen@oururbanplayground.com
My Picture With Santa in 1980
Ella last year at Macy’s in New York. She was not too sure about this Santa business.
I’ve been musing on Santa lately myself. I have noticed that in almost every Santa photo I’ve seen of Children of a Certain Age — dating back to my OWN photo with Santa when I was a baby — the child is crying hysterically. If not crying, at least he or she looks REALLY apprehensive about this experience. I got to wondering why we put our kids through this just so we could get a photo. In theory, it runs counter to what we normally do: teach our kids to avoid people who make them feel uncomfortable, tell them not to talk to strangers, etc. I remember a few mixed messages I got from parents when I was a child, and those messages kind of stick and last for a few decades. I think Santa is a better myth than he is as a reality. Just my 2 cents.
I know. I think the spirit of it all is better than actually going and sitting on a lap. Chloe has had some really magical santa experiences, but Chloe is kind of that way. Full of wonder and love.