Last Friday started out really great. First Nanny came over, and we played with D for awhile until Nanny, Sister Nanny, D, and D’s Mom took us on a field trip to downtown San Francisco. We first took a bus which I loved (because my favorite book is “The Wheels Go Round”) and then we took Bart (which I do not love). However, unlike the last time I took BART with Daddy and got super scared, this time I tried to be braver, and didn’t cry as loud or as long as the last time. Then, once we got downtown it was even better because Mama met us!! They took me downtown to see Mama!! I was so excited … until I realized the truth of our visit. We were not downtown to see Mama, we were down there to see Santa. At this point my excitement dropped like a big heavy rock. Why? Why do parents think we like this??
People say kids don’t know what’s going on – they say, “I don’t understand, why doesn’t he like Santa Claus? He just doesn’t understand yet…” But think about it parents! 364 days of the year we are told not to talk to strangers, let alone sit on their lap and take candy from them. And yet here you go taking us to probably the scariest looking stranger possible. I mean honestly – who has a white beard like that?? Crazy men on the street, that’s who!!
They also tried to convince me that it was a good thing…”Look Jingle… D is okay – see he’s not crying..” (um.. do you see him smiling?? I don’t think so!) “Look Jingle, Santa’s sleeve feels like your stuffed rabbit.” Is that supposed to make me feel better? They may as well have told me Santa ate my stuffed rabbit. After all – how did he get those rabbit fur sleeves anyway huh?
D didn’t seem as concerned as me – maybe he’s not old enough to see all the picture like I am. But when it was my turn to sit on Santa’s lap, I was not going to have it!! First I started with my traditional bucking and screaming and that seemed to work because they pulled me off and I thought we were done. But they didn’t walk away. I willed Mama ‘walk away, walk away, walk away Mama, WALK AWAY’! But no…they were fixing the camera… and then made me try again. This time Mama thought that if she were in the picture with me I’d be happier. But Mama is not supposed to sit on Santa’s lap – he’s not Daddy – what was she thinking?? So – I did the buck and scream again to make her stand up and this time for sure I thought were all done. “Walk Away, Walk Away!” But no, we had to stand there and watch this poor innocent baby who couldn’t even buck and scream be placed on Santa’s lap, I felt so sorry for her. “Look Jingle, the baby’s ok…” they said. Come on guys! The baby doesn’t know any better and she’s not ok because she can’t even get away from Santa!
But wow the adults were persistent. By the third time I thought it might be best just to go along with their insanity, otherwise we never would leave to go to the park. BUT, it had to be done on my rules:
People say kids don’t know what’s going on – they say, “I don’t understand, why doesn’t he like Santa Claus? He just doesn’t understand yet…” But think about it parents! 364 days of the year we are told not to talk to strangers, let alone sit on their lap and take candy from them. And yet here you go taking us to probably the scariest looking stranger possible. I mean honestly – who has a white beard like that?? Crazy men on the street, that’s who!!
They also tried to convince me that it was a good thing…”Look Jingle… D is okay – see he’s not crying..” (um.. do you see him smiling?? I don’t think so!) “Look Jingle, Santa’s sleeve feels like your stuffed rabbit.” Is that supposed to make me feel better? They may as well have told me Santa ate my stuffed rabbit. After all – how did he get those rabbit fur sleeves anyway huh?
D didn’t seem as concerned as me – maybe he’s not old enough to see all the picture like I am. But when it was my turn to sit on Santa’s lap, I was not going to have it!! First I started with my traditional bucking and screaming and that seemed to work because they pulled me off and I thought we were done. But they didn’t walk away. I willed Mama ‘walk away, walk away, walk away Mama, WALK AWAY’! But no…they were fixing the camera… and then made me try again. This time Mama thought that if she were in the picture with me I’d be happier. But Mama is not supposed to sit on Santa’s lap – he’s not Daddy – what was she thinking?? So – I did the buck and scream again to make her stand up and this time for sure I thought were all done. “Walk Away, Walk Away!” But no, we had to stand there and watch this poor innocent baby who couldn’t even buck and scream be placed on Santa’s lap, I felt so sorry for her. “Look Jingle, the baby’s ok…” they said. Come on guys! The baby doesn’t know any better and she’s not ok because she can’t even get away from Santa!
But wow the adults were persistent. By the third time I thought it might be best just to go along with their insanity, otherwise we never would leave to go to the park. BUT, it had to be done on my rules:
1) Mama was NOT to sit ON Santa’s lap – she could sit next to him
2) I would sit on the far side of Mama, as far away from Santa as possible
3) I would not look at him, I would not touch him, and most importantly,
4) I would not smile.
