December 16, 2007 - 10:58 PM.

An Xmas Miracle

My son actually sat on a Santa's lap today. My son, who has no interest in people outside his family, voluntarily went up to a Santa and did the whole bit.

We were down in the basement of the local sporting goods store, where they sell all those great toys for such good prices. Way back in the windowless corner, there was a table staffed by no fewer than THREE members of the Rotary Club (or the Lions?). Lots of papers spread out before them, not a kid in sight. My mother has the boy, I'm looking high and low for the Playmobil aisle, and I keep hearing somebody saying, "Do you want a candy cane? Would you like a candy cane?" I figure those nice people are offering it, I know he'll accept it as he lives and breathes for candy canes, I assume they're a charity collection of some kind.

Finally after about the 20th offering of a CC, I decide my mother is not sure whether I'll approve the CC, so I head back over to OK it. I round a stack of science toys and behold a miraculous sight!

A Santa is seated, in full red-plush regalia, in a short black-painted plywood sleigh. His beard is real; his glasses are prescription. His suit is free of wrinkles. And climbing into his sleigh via a thick plywood step, is my shy son who normally would decline the Santa with a "No thank you."

"Do you want to sit on my lap?" asks Santa.

"Um - OK."

Santa lifts my child up onto his knee. Child looks around, actually looking pleased!

"Have you been good?" asks Santa. "Um - kind of!" pipes my child!

Santa asks child what he would like for Christmas. After some hemming and hawing on both sides, it dawns on this sweet Santa that my child knows not one thing aboout Santa and the bringing of presents! (Not really by design, we just tell him there are 3 stories people tell at Xmastime - Santa Babyjesus Longnight.) So Santa chats with the little one for a while about what he likes -- does he like trucks? Does he like animals? Does he like books?

After some time of this, my mother pays these nice people for a photo package, and the child obligingly "smiles" at the camera in a superfake, supercute way for several shots! A little more banter, a giant candy cane handed to the child, and he climbs back out of the sleigh with a friendly wave and a Thank you!

It's like a miracle, people. Yes, if you must, a forking Xmas miracle. :)

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