Old St. Nick...and I mean old

After a pep talk, she happily sat on his lap and even gave a few big smiles (which I did not catch due to camera delay) but as soon as the jolly old man began to talk to her, she wasn't having it anymore. Her worried look and tears were genuine, and she was DONE!

I had not ever considered this before, but all the other Santa's around that she identifies with are decorative and of course do not talk to you... I imagine this was disturbing to our over-analyzing little thinker. Still... we did better than last year!



This also helps to explain why the giant, creepy, yellow plastic cat at the mall doesn't bother her at all. She even gave him her balloon.

I'll go ahead and give away my Santa secret... we discovered the FREE Santa at Nordstrom Galleria last year... with NO LINE.... and its FREE I TELL YOU! However he's only there a few days and during certain hours, and you have to take your own photo. But he is the real Santa, just look at him! Thank you, Nordstrom, for allowing me to keep $20 in my pocket and for bringing in the REAL (and I think best dressed) Santa once again.