santa 2.0

we ventured out again this year to metrotown to visit santa. at the time when i chose that route, i figured it was the "easiest" option, but that was only because i didn't really think about it... after all, it's a skytrain ride, several elevators, the mall for pete's sake and a monster-sized one at that, and then there's the line etc. on the plus side, the mall did have things that i needed to do anyway what with it being christmas and all...

we visited last week, before the ankle biters got out of school. the line wasn't too long - maybe 20 minutes - and we went early so nobody in line seemed on the verge of a teary sugar-high breakdown. cole loved looking at the decorations, peeking on santa while we waited and he was so excited! he was smiling from ear to ear when he got to santa. they snapped photos quickly, which is good, because once santa started asking him all sorts of complicated questions about presents and toys and good boy this and that he began to look a little pensive...

i'm glad we went last week, because we rode out this morning to pick the photos up (ugh, two rides to metrotown? blast!) and the line looked like a disaster. overheard - two kids too old for santa telling their mom "no way - an hour wait? dude, that's 60 minutes!".

we also went to the robson square santa last week. it was a fun experience - they've just opened up the ice rink and they have a little santa's village. for free! (thank you GE corporate overlords and provincal tax dollars). santa photos, crafts and gingerbread and more. we played around outside for a bit and then we walked in and had a lingering santa photo session since no one else was in line and then made a mess with sparkles before heading out.

the photos were handed to us five seconds after taking them - the quality of the print wasn't that great, but it was fast and santa was really nice. for future reference, there is an elevator into ubc (which exits into the square) on the hornby & robson side of the gallery so you don't need to lug a stroller three flights of stairs below street level. i was ok with the gingerbread idea, but the lady operating that area poo-pooed it for a person cole's age. i was more on the "it'll keep us busy for 10 minutes and it's festive and nearly lunch anyway" side of the fence... she really wouldn't have liked our family gingerbread house party:

we did this a few years ago and it was fun. we cheat - it's really graham crackers glued to cardboard boxes using royal icing. but the candy is plenty real - and plentiful too. i wasn't sure how it would work with cole - i mean, bowls full of candy?

i haven't let him eat actual candy yet, but was able to distract him with other treats - dried ginger, raisins and apricots. i'm thinking that next year he won't be so easy to convince, especially with a ransom of candy in front of him...