Mall Santas

I felt that I must write a little tidbit on this subject. Emma Grace and I had to make a quick trip to the mall last week. Our vacuum has been acting up so I had to take it to Sears to have it checked out. We also walked down to Gymboree to catch a couple of dresses on a wild sale. On the way down, she happily noticed that Santa was there. She was very apprehensive at first because she's always been afraid of him. She's never sat on his lap, and this was major since Mason and Madison weren't there to comfort her.

She pressed on because she just had to ask him for the "Pee Pee Baby". My point in writing this is the job he did. He wasn't just some jakey old dude sitting there to collect a check. He engaged her in a conversation about why Christmas is special. He emphasized the importance of our loving one another and that's why he gives gifts to children and it being better to give gifts than to receive them! He said this all on her level and finished by telling her to love her family and that he loved her. He inserted some of the usual Santa stuff and we were on our way. I was kinda stumped. He told her the most important thing about Christmas is love. I don't know that he even asked her the "have you been good" business.

I was just impressed by the exchange. I always find myself thinking as I stand there watching them talk to him, "How does this fit into our Christian traditions?" It doesn't. But we just kinda go with it for now I guess. Hmm. Oh, as a sidenote: when I told Mason about it and was saying to Emma, "tell Mason what Santa said the most important thing about Christmas is", Mason piped up " he said it's Jesus' birthday!" That's my boy. :)