Rumor had it that there was a way to work the system and avoid the lines, crying, and fussing usually associated with visiting Santa. What if instead of going to see Santa at 4:30 and then having dinner you flipped it. Start at dinner at 5:30? Hmm... interesting.
It turns out there's logic to this crazy plan.
Get a table by the window at Red Robin and you can see the toy soldiers march down the street that's renamed Snowflake Lane in the holiday season. Wait until you hear the drumming and then you can watch the performance by the fountain in front of Macy*s. After dinner head inside to a Santa who is almost lonely.
Sweet!
Clara froze up when on Santa's lap. She had been telling us all about the camera, doll, baby stroller, and baton (huh?) that she wanted, but when it came time to deliver the list to the one person likely to play along she couldn't.
Lilly didn't talk and didn't smile for the camera. The little stinker didn't scream, though. Progress compared to last year.
Henry was just a lump. No smiling, no frowning, no screaming, just sitting. Good enough.
Of course, after the three frames were shot by the Santa, Inc. photographers the girls started being happy and talking with Santa. Typical.
After Santa nothing seemed hard. The girls moved officially into tired jolly mode and ran around in circles while Amy and her mother shopped. Lilly looked longingly into the windows at Tiffany's while I tried to get her to ogle the iPhones at the Apple store, but no luck. Oh well. There's always next year.
