Christmas Babes

When my girls were little and the Christmas to-do list seemed ever so long, I was grateful that we didn’t do Santa-at-the-Mall.  I would cruise by those lines with a slight smugness.  I admit it.

But the genetic truth is – our family is not good at Santa-lap-sitting.

Once, I got the oldest daughter to sit there – at a very tender age.  She didn’t have much choice.

That was the last picture for her. (And yes, she’s a daughter – not a pink day, apparently.)

Her younger sister absolutely refused from the moment she was born in the month of June.  “Don’t even try,” she babbled early in December.

I have evidence of the trait – here is one of my oldest niece and nephew showing their joint unhappiness at being thrust at Santa in 1969….

But do either of those guys really look like Santa? 

I don’t think so.

Here is my favorite Santa-Anticipation picture of all time. Evidently restored to their natural good humor, here are the same cousins just hours later in front of their grandparents’ tabletop tree, dressed in their finest — eyes shining – aglow with anticipation.    It was such a very special Christmas for our whole family.

Did they know they were on their way to the Christmas Eve Cantata service?

I don’t think so.

Until that time, I had been the baby in the house.  How wonderful it was to re-experience the joy of the season through their eyes!   

Santa, Cantata, and all.