Dear Santa, you freak me out!

When I was younger I loved going to visit Santa, never once was I ever terrified of Santa. Santa and I were always friends because I knew that in the end it would always work out in my favor to be nice to the guy. My sweet Oliver, however, is terrified of Santa.

For about the last 4 or 5 months Oliver has really started to be a little weary of people he doesn't know so Nathan and I knew going into this year's Santa visit it was probably not going to end well. So my very smart husband thought that bringing a few dum-dum suckers along might make Santa a little less scary for O. We had to wait in line for about 15 minutes and of course by wait I mean I waited in line while Oliver and Nathan threw about $6.00 worth of pennies in the mall fountain. But as we got closer and Oliver was saying "ho ho ho" and talking about Santa and it appeared as though this might not end as badly as we had thought.

Finally it was our turn, Nathan went a few steps a head of us and slipped Santa the dum-dums telling him "these might make it better for all involved" and Santa gave his signature jolly belly laugh. Please keep in mind Oliver had yet to lay eyes on Santa, so he was almost skipping toward Santa's area because he just knew that since we had waited in line this long for something it had to be a good thing. I wish now that I had gotten this on video, but as we rounded the corner he got one look at Santa and turned to me and said "up mommy, up". I tried to encourage him to meet Santa on his own but the poor boy wouldn't let go of my leg long enough to even breathe let alone actually meet Santa. So I did what any good mother does I picked Oliver up and placed him right dead smack in the middle of all his fears, Santa's lap. Then I did the unspeakable, I walked away him.

Nathan and I weren't sure who should have received more of our sympathies over this experience, Oliver or Santa. So after just a few seconds I went over and picked Oliver up and Santa gave O his dum-dum and through his tears Oliver was able to tell him thank you for the sucker and then we walked out of the mall like Santa never even happened. Oh but Santa 2012 did and we have the evidence and it will forever be a part of our Christmas decorations because really it's just a fantastic picture.

O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

 

-Erin-