How to Sneak Santa into a Toddler's Holiday Experience

I'll be honest.  The thought of dragging K. to the mall to wait in line and force him onto Santa's lap, at which point he'll probably bawl while I try to snap a photograph, makes me get a headache. Maybe it's also because I was deathly afraid of Mall Santas when I was a child.  (I still am, sort of.) Still, my desire to follow "tradition" put me in a quandary... the idea of a photo of Toddler K. with Santa, despite the odds it will take to achieve a decent, non-frowny picture ... is still nagging at me.  

I hadn't quite resolved the issue when, a few days ago, I was driving around in our neighborhood and I saw it: a sign advertising what promises to be The Most Exciting Event of This Holiday Season.

Above our local fire station, in big letters, appeared the words:

COME MEET SANTA AT THE FIRE STATION 

That's it!  Meeting Santa amidst huge, shiny, red fire trucks - that's the ticket!  How could K. NOT enjoy every single minute?  (I realize I'm setting myself up for a big jinx.)  

In any case, I've added it to our social calendar and we are counting down the days.  K.'s friends Sophie and Charlie are going to join us.  Pictures to follow... wish us luck!