family christmas party

the couples bible study matt and i joined this year has an annual family christmas party with a fantastic santa.  one of the couples owns a party facility (for weddings, parties, etc.) and they trade their photography services for some santa time and host the whole evening.  it is a really family-friendly event and the kids are even allowed to wear their jammies.  i tried to get a picture of our crew before we left.  unfortunately, mason refused to take a picture without baby jesus in front of his face.  sigh.

we were running a little late and when we got there everyone was still waiting to eat. i guess mason was really, really hungry because he sat right down and started eating his salad.  dry.  with a spoon.  what can i say?  that kid really loves salad (by the way, manning it a big salad eater too).

the facility was so beautiful with lights, white and silver linens and a fire in the fireplace.  and then there were kids running all over the place having a great time sliding on the empty dance floor in their pajamas!  we had a wonderful meal and then heard some jingling coming from the kitchen.  several of the kids stopped mid-run when they heard the jingle bells which was cute.

manning loved being a 'big kid'.  i cringed when he took his pizza roll sauced hands and wiped them all over the white chair cover.

 here are some pictures of the kids enjoying their 'fancy' dinner.

and then santa came it.  now this is a really good santa.  like the kind who attends "santa university" (yes, that is a real thing - google it).  he was an excellent santa and did a whole question and answer session with the kids.  manning wasn't too sure about him.

one kid asked if the reindeer were outside.  santa explained that they were resting up for christmas and he had to take two planes and rent a car to come visit.  which led another kid to ask if he was really rich to be able to afford two flights and a rental car!  i thought it was interesting how interested the kids were in the elves (maybe from all the 'elf on the shelf' stuff).  they were particularly concerned that the elves didn't get meals or breaks!  santa assured them that the elves were very well cared for and that he spoke to mrs. claus today and asked about how the elves were - hard at work and very happy.

santa's "the nice book" (he said that he doesn't travel with the "naughty" book)

manning just wanted my camera.

eventually, manning decided to go sit with mason to listen to santa.  madelyn was the only one who asked a question - does rudolph lead his sleigh? - and heard that rudolph only flies in bad weather because he is getting older now.  we had briefed the kids several times in the days leading up to this party that they could not mention that santa isn't real and i was very happy that they enjoyed the 'magic' of it as much as everyone else.

then all of the kids lined up to have a turn with santa.  madelyn came out of line to ask if she was old enough for an ipad because she didn't know what else to ask for (several of the kids in front of her had asked for ipads).  when we told her that she isn't old enough yet (santa was asking the parents about the gift before confirming with the kid - "has so and so been good enough for this toy?") and maybe she could just pick a toy to talk with santa about, she burst into tears.  she has decided a few weeks ago that she doesn't want anything specific for christmas and would be happy with whatever she received.  this is wonderful that she is so content with what she has and grateful for what she might receive, but it is very problematic when you are required to ask santa for something specific.  after some discussion, she settled on a rainbow loom.  she throughly enjoyed her chat with santa and got a lovely picture (i think).

mason decided to ask santa for a race track (even though he got one last year and doesn't really plan with it - granted, it does need some fresh batteries so that the cars can get around the loop).  santa held this pose and got mason to put his hands back up so that i could take a picture - he was a really  good, professional santa.  the picture is of mason and santa discussing how big the race track should be.

mason showing me the santa sticker he got and stuck on his pjs.

we didn't get a family shot with santa, but we did get one shot with all of the kids.  some of the older girls asked for different members of one direction!  santa didn't miss a beat and said he would put in some calls to the band but he knew that their schedules were pretty full already.

maddux didn't want to talk with santa (he was just having way too much fun playing), but when i showed him the photo of santa with a real reindeer and the sticker kids got when they were done visiting, he was sold.  he didn't do much talking, but i got this cute picture.

manning wasn't feeling it but he wasn't scared either.  i think he was just getting too close to bedtime for new friends.  plus, he had already made several friends with some of the other ladies - the little cuddle bug!  (one of the ladies said that manning has the same eyes as justin beiber and googled his toddler picture as a comparison - she said that it is the eyes, not the mouth.  i do sort of see it. if you run to do your own search, let me know what you think.)

as an extra bonus, all of the kids were given santa chocolate bars - like they needed any other reasons to love santa!

santa even had a gift for the parents.  i guess he got a new suit (from a hollywood costume designer - and his suit was super impressive) and cut up the fabric from his old suits for parents to use as proof that santa had been to the house.  there was a letter explaining that we should put the velvet fabric scrap by the tree or fireplace as proof that santa had been there.  here is a picture of all the santa loot we were given.

it was such a great evening.  i am so thankful for this group of people!  love.