Here Comes Santa Claus

     I'm sure everyone has a Santa story. Mine began when I was a little girl. My parents took me to see Santa at Metro Center Mall in Jackson, MS. One look at the jolly man dressed in red and I took off running in the opposite direction. All I remember is 2 college-aged blondes dressed as elves running after me. Fast forward 26 years later and my children feel the same way I did when I was 4.

     With hopes that my son would be different, I took him to see Santa for the first time in 2008. He took one look at him and screamed. Needless to say, the photographer wouldn't take the picture. I was relentless so we returned back to the mall in 2009. This time, he still screamed as I held him but I told that woman to take the picture or else. My husband says that I look like a Stepford Wife in the picture-all happy while my son, Christian, is in complete terror. I learned my lesson back in '09 and decided to forego 2010 for him, that is. Last year, was our daughter's first Christmas so we took her. Since she was just 4 months old, Santa had no effect on her whatsoever. Whew! I was glad, finally a tear-free Santa photo.

     Fast forward to 2011....my son is now almost 5 and my daughter is well over a year. I had talked my son into standing by Santa while my daughter, Presley, sat in his lap. I thought that surely she'd take a picture with the jolly man in red since her brother and her have 2 totally different personalities. He's the shy one and she is the life of the party. Apparently, I thought wrong. Apparently, my fear of Santa as a child passed through my genes to my children. Even with my husband present, Christian was not going to get near the man. When I introduced Presley to him, she slapped him. Did I mention she's a feisty life of the party? Because I had the "we're going to take this durn picture mentality," we all got in the picture. My husband and I were not dressed for the picture but we took it anyways. Presley kept giving Santa the "don't mess with me" eye and Christian couldn't get away from him fast enough. We made it through the picture with just 2 out of the 4 of us smiling-my husband and me.

     Oh well, at least, the elves didn't have to chase anyone down the mall. I even decided to use this memorable photo as our Christmas card. Though no one can truly treasure this card unless they know the entire story from start to finish. Tell them for me, please. I'll be trying to keep my daughter from beating up Santa. Merry Christmas!