The Christmas Party

We had all finished ‘eating’ and now were just sitting around trying to keep the kids entertained. However, they were doing the entertaining. Everest’s creative scientist side came out and had resorted to making ice creations, dams(yes, dams), concoctions such as peppermint candy lemonade and trying to see just how full you can fill a cup before it will actually spill over (thus leading to the dams of napkins) on top of the table while under the table Hudson and Isaac were hiding rather loudly and sliding around on the floor. Edison kept busy by introducing us to everyone. He knew more people there than I did. He’d lean over and tell me someone’s while pointing to them and then insist I go over with them to talk to them. Time kept passing the clean up committee started, well, cleaning up and people started going home, I thought maybe Santa wasn’t going to be there. I was worried and panic began to set in. That was the main reason to come to this thing and why we stuck around to provide entertainment. I knew how much the boys had their hearts set on it. Especially since we had been talking about it all afternoon. They had been thinking about what to ask Santa for and telling each other what to say to him. Such as, “You ask him if he’s real, OK?” What would I tell them? How would I explain that Santa wasn’t going to be there?

Finally santa arrives and somehow we are the end of a very long very slow line. Filled with excitement and nerves the boys engage in some friendly youthful wrestling off to the side and soon all the other little boys are joining in while the moms and dads keep their place in line. Sweaty, red cheeks and exhausted they scramble back in line to finalize what they’re going to ask for as their turn has finally come. After all this is a huge deal.

Edison goes first, he hops up on Santa’s lap and immediately dives into a conversation with Santa. When Santa asks him what he wants, with confidence Edison delivers his wish list: “a cell phone, a laptop and legos”. Santa wasn’t expecting that one and a father in line calls out, “Cameron you start ‘em out young” and a wave of chuckles washes over the parents (everyone knows we’re a high tech family & that Cameron Moll is a household name in the web & creative design industry).

Everest then climbs up on Santa’s knee and picks a candy cane out of Santa’s basket. And when asked what he wants for Christmas he replies with specifics: “a REAL TV, a REAL phone, a REAL dog and a REAL bird”. Santa looks at him and says, “you start out high don’t you, There’s no starting out small for you is there? Straight to the top.” That’s Everest, no fooling around when it comes to what he wants, no substitutes, no gimmicks, just the real genuine stuff, none of that kid stuff. And he can handle it too.

Next Isaac crawls up on Santa’s lap and strikes up some dialogue. Isaac’s legs are swinging with anticipation waiting for the question of the year. When Santa finally pops the big question, “and what would you like?” Isaac grins from ear to ear and his eyes sparkle: “a kitchen set with a phone”. Santa asks “a kitchen set and a phone”. Isaac corrects him, “a kitchen set with a phone”. “Oh,” Santa says,” you boys know what you want don’t you?” and promises to deliver.

Finally Hudson is placed on Santa’s lap and glances up at him only once. Hudson twirling his candy cane with a sheepish smile, Santa asks him what he’d like and Hudson’s smile deepens without looking up says: “Yoda.” Santa exclaims, “Yoda? Are you wise enough for Yoda? You do know that your parents are the wisest of all don’t you?” Then Hudson quickly slips off of his lap with a candy cane in one hand and smile growing bigger by the second as he holds it up for all to see and whispers in my ear, “I’m getting Yoda”.

Headed for the exit Isaac exclaims with sheer excitement, “I’m going to get a kitchen set with a phone! He said, Santa said”.
Edison informs us, “He’s not the real Santa”
“Oh, did you ask him?” I reply.
“No, his beard is fake. I felt it, it feels like string.”, he said.
Hudson grins the sweetest of grins, “sat in Santa’s lap”.
The boys hop down the hall to the door and Everest leans in: “I think it was the real Santa.”
“Why is that?” I ask.
“He knew all of our names.” Everest had been paying close attention.
Hudson shoves another piece of peppermint candy into his mouth and we all make our way to the car on this bitter cold winter’s night.