Breakfast With Santa

I'm not sure which was the more unlikely occurrence on Saturday morning. Was it the perfectly timed (but not at all forecast) snowfall as we drove to Chapel Hill for Breakfast With Santa? Or was it the fact that we were actually running on time - ahead of schedule even - for an event? Perhaps the two were related and the winter precipitation served to indicate that a certain subterranean location was indeed freezing over. 

Regardless, the flurries that fell added to an already festive spirit. Graham, born with a song in his heart and a tune that he carries to this day, sang "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" from the back seat. Santa was coming to town; as an added bonus, a full buffet was in place at The Carolina Inn to celebrate his arrival. Food, face painting, a magician, and the guest of honor made for a fun start to the day. Can't you tell from the picture below?

Truth be told, Graham was all smiles when he met one-on-one with the right jolly old elf and shared his desire for said elf to deliver Shipwreck Falls and Slinky Dog in the coming week. His affectation turned pouty, however, when his sister joined the conversation. She gave Santa enough of a shrieking earful to make him consider detouring his reindeer around Mackenzie Court on Christmas night in order to avoid a repeat performance.

Everyone was all smiles again once we gathered around Santa as a family.

So what does a family do with all the found time that remains when you've dressed and started your day so early? For the Taylors, it meant stopping at some favorite shops in Chapel Hill before heading over to Caribou Coffee for Ho Ho Mochas. The kids allowed us - and our fellow coffee shop patrons - an unusual stretch of serenity. Graham's reward was a piece of a dessert from a customer seated nearby. It's entirely consistent with our parenting dictum, "Don't take candy from strangers … but desserts are okay."

Later that evening, we built a ginger bread house to conclude our cheerful day. Graham loved the ginger bread homes that were on display at the Carolina Inn and wanted to make one of our own. In the process, I gained a much greater appreciation for the quality of the cookie craftsmanship we saw earlier in the day.