At 2 1/2 this is the first year Monkey has really understood that Christmas is coming, and therefore been really excited about it. Because of that we are very much enjoying sharing Christmas traditions with him as his enthusiasm is really contagious! He has been asking basically every day this month whether Father Christmas is coming, so we thought he would love going to visit him. As an aside, he is very much Father Christmas in our house rather than Santa Claus, it seems everyone is adopting Santa these days but that feels so American to me, am I alone in this?
Anyway there are lots of places to visit Father Christmas and some of them are so expensive and you need to book appointments etc. which I guess takes the need away for queuing bit needs a bit more advance planning than I had thought it would! We needed to go to our local shopping centre anyway so decided to take him to the FC there which was a bit cheaper and with no appointments required!
We didn’t know how he would be with him, he loves the idea of FC but can be quite shy so we weren’t sure if he would like him. We knew that if he cried it wouldn’t be unusual, but, actually, he did really well.
Father Christmas picked him up and popped him on his sleigh and he didn’t squirm at all. He did spend most of his time looking at the wall rather than at Father Christmas but he did answer his questions and talk to him a little about Thomas the Tank Engine and there wasn’t even a lip wobble so we were dead proud of him! He really has grown out of his shyness a bit lately and this was yet more proof of that! My once clingy child will now talk to anyone about anything!
So that was a very lovely first experience. Then at the weekend while hubs and I were at a wedding, my parents took Monkey for the day and he went to see some of FC’s Reindeer! There is a garden centre a little while away that has a great reputation at Christmas for seeing FC and for their winter wonderland. Unfortunately when they got there on Sunday, there was a 3 hour wait for this and decided not to bother (which was very wise I think, not sure I would try and persuade a 2 yr old to queue for 3 hours!!). They did however still manage to meet the Reindeer!
One of them came right up to Monkey and Nanny & Pops were very impressed that he didn’t back away ( bear in mind that this little Monkey is scared of Sheep and Cows) and just said Hello to the reindeer. What a cutie!
A couple of lovely Christmassy encounters foe our Monkey and we are just dead proud of him and his growing confidence! He seems to have grown up so much in the last few weeks since LM was born
Do your kids meet Father Christmas every year? Is he known as Father Christmas or Santa Claus in your house?
Also linking with #Tinsel Tuesdays
Aww! How lovely! What a special time!
My girls see Santa every year at school….
A 3 hour wait, wow. Sounds like the reindeer were definitely the best bet. And how lovely that Monkey was happy to sit and chat with FC-I think that’s quite a big change isn’t it. Mind you my son used to be very quiet and shy, and at age 4 he has suddenly decided that he wants to talk to everyone about everything (which can be interesting). xx
Its funny how they suddenly change isn’t it? I know what you mean about interesting, we had to walk past a couple of drinks the other day and I’m head down rushing past while Monkey is saying hello to them!! Thankfully they ignored him but then he kept turning round to say goodbye to them!!
This looks so lovely, I can’t wait to take Archie somewhere similar next year
Sounds like he had a really special time, we’ve got reindeer in our local garden centre too. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve popped along in my lunch hour more than once just to go and see them!!
Aw this is so exciting our little ladies only 2 in jan so shes not as aware but also met santa and it went well! Little ones just make christmas so much more special dont they 🙂
Aww bless Monkey – he looked like he had an awesome time with Santa!! What cute pics 🙂 Mim 🙂 #TinselTuesdays http://www.mamamim.com
Aww that is such a lovely post. I feel very festive now. Monkey is such a cutie x thanks for linking up to #TinselTuesdays
Bless him – I love the reindeer too.
Lizzie’s Daily Blog
Aw lovely pictures I do love when they have reindeer!!
My eldest is 10 so doesn’t believe anymore but I’ve just had another baby boy so I get to do it all over again 🙂
It’s lovely seeing his confidence grow. My children even now are still nervous when meeting father christmas. Looks like he had a great time.
Thanks for sharing #LetKidsBeKids
What a cutie! I’m glad he was fine w/ Santa (I’m American, it’s automatic for me to say it. hehe) and the pics w/ the reindeer were so sweet.
Hello there, oh he is so adorable! We haven’t taken our little boy to see Father Christmas yet but I think he would love it. And yes, funnily enough I was thinking about this the other day-we go for Father Christmas but pre-school seem to be firmly in the Santa camp! x #ssamazingachievements
Aw what lovely photos and he seems to have had a lovely time
I am soooo with you here! Where did Santa come from??! Grrrr. Father Christmas all the way! Looks and sounds like you had a really wonderful couple of experiences and your little boy did really well being so brave! Happy Christmas!
Pingback: #TinselTuesdays Number 7. December 23rd. | Farmer's Wife and Mummy
A lovely post, he really did so well. I have a habit of calling the main man Santa but I picked up that Ethan was vocalizing Father Christmas so that is what we called him this year. Its funny how a new arrival can make the other sibling so grown up in a matter of weeks x
Lovely pictures, the reindeer ones were fab. I’m totally with you on the FC versus Santa, SC doesn’t sound right at all and it used to confuse D, who thought they were separate.
Your little man did so well and his confidence is really growing.
Thanks for linking up with #SSAmazingAchievements
Thanks lovely it is so confusing for them isn’t it? We have been trying to tell Monkey it’s different names for the same man! xx