eternally chaotic

Christmas this year introduced a new member to our family named Red.  And NO to those of you thinking the unthinkable – the family head count remains at a solid seven, including the dog.  This little persons name, after much enthusiastically and somewhat fanatical debate among existing family members was determined to be “Red”.  Red the Christmas Elf.  He would only be around for a few weeks out of the year, didn’t eat much and pretty much remained stationary throughout the day – at some point during the day, when our eyes were cast elsewhere, he would just vanish until the next morning.  Red had some specific rules about being touched or bothered as well – certainly the kids were to strictly forbidden to touch him and to leave him alone lest he lose his observational and somewhat magical powers granted by the spirit that is Christmas.  Red’s job was to cast a watchful eye upon his family, take score of the good versus bad and report back to some higher power a recommendation as to which list each household member might befit.  Somehow during his strictly “observational” process he would always find a way to cause mischief and leave a mess.

Two nights before Christmas however, Red left something additional in each of the stockings of the Children of the Corn.  A gold dipped envelope containing a silver inked letter from The Man himself.  Now was the time of reckoning.  The time of knowing.  Was it the good list or the bad.  What did Santa think?  What did he know?  When we opened our weary eyes the next morning would they sparkle and shine from majestic reflection of silver and gold or be dim from broken hope and disappointment.

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While shopping tonight at Discover Mills for Christmas gifts we walked past a Santa booth that was empty of patrons.  Piper waved at Santa and he smiled and waved back.  We asked if she would like to visit him and tell him what she would like for Christmas.  Of course the answer was an excited “Yes!!!”.  After a bit of shopping we made our way back, stood in a short line and watched the people in front of us as we waited.  Soon it was our turn.  Having just recently visited a Santa at Lake Lanier Islands and seeing the quick-in quick-out, how many pictures can we take this hour, rush to get kids through, whirlwind that was a “Lake Lanier Santa Visit”, this trip was refreshing.  The Santa was a typical greying elderly man with a long white and grey beard and an ample lap for the kids to sit.  This Santa took Piper and sat her on his lap and for what seemed an eternity asked her question after question about what she and her sister wanted from Him.  Movies and Toys and Princesses.  After a few minutes she sat in awe, answering only “Yes” to each of his questions, humbled but not quite sure why.  When he was done with the questions he offered her a lolly pop and wished her a very merry Christmas.

As we walked off we couldn’t help but contrast our experience here, similar to what we recalled as kids, and to what the “expected” visit should be to the sub-par experience at Lanier Islands where they were more concerned with queue length and pictures per hour than they seemed to be with the kids coming to see the main christmas man.