Things Luke knows about Santa

1) Santa drinks Coke.

-We live in Atlanta, there are billboards of Santa drinking Coke all around and all of the Coke cans have Santa drinking a Coke on them. There will be no milk set out for Santa at our house.

2) Santa is scary.

-Luke is fascinated with anyone or anything dressed up as Santa. Loves to see him on TV (even Snoopy dressed as Santa draws his attention). However, try to get him within reach of a real-life Santa (or any inanimate object large enough to pose a threat dressed up like Santa) and his death-grip and screaming "NO, NO, NO" are triggered instantly.

-A few additional points to this, we tried to take him to see the mall Santa before Thanksgiving (we were so smart, we beat the crowds, there was zero waiting time!). Maybe we were too early, he hadn't been inundated with Santa's image really yet. So when he saw the big guy he freaked (think back to his experience with the horse in May and the Cow at Chick-Fil-A). Wouldn't even get close enough for the photographer to snap a crying on Santa's lap picture to tease him with years from now.

-Sometime in the beginning of December, Shrek the Halls was playing on TV. Luke loves the Shrek 2 DVD (a staple of car rides out of town) we have so I DVR'd this for him (and we watch it at least once a day now). Little did I know, but there is a scene where the gingerbread cookie is telling his experience with Santa. He's a COOKIE mind you. So just picture us watching this fun family holiday show, and here is the gingerbread cookie on a date with his gingerbread girlfriend on Christmas Eve when who shows up? A huge stalking Santa Claus that picks up his girlfriend, widely opens up his mouth bearing his teeth, and well you know, crumbs fall down. Luke's face was in pure disbelief and shock. What could I do but quickly say, "Luke, Santa loves cookies, don't we all like cookies, Yummy!" So now when that scene comes on, we all say "Santa eats cookies."

3) Santa eats cookies.

4) Santa says "Ho, Ho, Ho."

Perhaps all the Shrek watching, Christmas book reading, and Christmas decoration perusing has warmed Luke up to real-life Santas. Just a little bit. Santa came to Luke's school last week. I warned his teachers he may not go for it. They told me if they can get one brave soul in the class to do it, the others will usually follow. I asked Luke later that day if he sat on Santa's lap and he said "uhhhh" (which is Luke speak for either Yes, I'm not sure, or I'm not really paying attention to what you are asking me...those of you who have heard it know what I am talking about). So I assumed it meant Yes in this instance and asked him what Santa said to him and Luke said "Ho, Ho Ho." So I thought maybe he actually did sit on the big guys lap!

When I asked his teachers the next morning how it went they told me that at first Luke was scared and crying, but then he did sit on Santa's lap after seeing his best buddy Alec do it. They followed that with "Don't expect a smile in the picture though."

Here is that photo:

Classic.