Meeting Santa

[From Nov 26, 2011]

Scott met Santa this year. This is different from previous years, where he observed Santa from a safe distance.



We planned to go to the Christmas party at Great Grandma & Grandpa M's retirment home, but first Scott and I needed to go shopping for a toy to donate to kids in need. The experience dragged on a bit because Scott wanted to linger in every aisle, pointing out all the $30 items that we should buy (our budget was more like $10). Finally we settled on two die-cast muscle cars about 6 inches long -- a red Ford GT with white racing stripes and a yellow Chev Camaro with black racing stripes (similar to Bumblebee in the Transformers movies).

After we checked out at the cashier, Scott didn't want to part with the red GT. I told him that giving away something that he really liked would be a good thing, and Santa would know he was a good boy and would get him a toy. You could see the tears just below the surface. This was a hard thing for him. It was also hard for me. I was tempted to keep the red Ford GT for his Christmas present and only donate the Camaro.

Driving home in the car, I told him that he should ask for a present like that for Christmas, and maybe he could get one. He asked how you tell Santa what things you want for Chrismas. We said you could make a list and send it to Santa. But instead, he saw Santa in the flesh that same afternoon at the Christmas party.



Normally, Scott would be hesitant to go sit on anyone's knee, let alone a man with an enormous white beard, but in this particular instance there was no line-up so he was on Santa's lap before he could think it over. When Santa asked what he wanted for Christmas, Scott said he wanted a red car. No surprise there.



Scott's cousin L (who is generally fearless) hopped up on Santa's lap next and both kids came away with two candy canes each. Then they jumped on a horse-drawn carriage for a ride around the neighbourhood.





Sadly, I missed the Santa part because of some work I had to finish, but I arrived just as the carriage ride ended and Scott told me all about it. He was particularly thrilled that he got two candy canes. He told me that part over and over. He showed me the Christmas tree and he brought his cousin L down to show her the cars that we had donated. The sadness seemed to be gone. I think Scott had a good experience with giving, but I think we may need to make sure he gets a red die-cast car under the tree this year.

And two candy canes.