Santa Who?!

While I was off at the AGU meeting socializing with the other nerds scientists, Jenn, Max and Charlotte were out on the town.  And Jenn took Max and Charlotte to visit Santa Claus for the very first time!  (I can't believe I missed it.  Though, in Jenn's defense, it sounds as though it was a very impromptu affair, born of a desperate effort to occupy two bored, fussy children.)

Now when you think about it, this tradition of putting our children into the laps of some stranger (often) sporting a fake beard and dressed in a red suit so that they can reveal their hearts' desires and so that we can take cute pictures is pretty bizarre.  The oddity of this strange ritual was probably best depicted in a Christmas Story, perhaps the funniest movie ever (not just the funniest Christmas movie, mind you).  It's also made pretty evident by the picture below:

5 December 2011

Looking at this picture, I can't avoid the thought that Charlotte and Max were both simultaneously asking themselves: 'Who in the hell is this guy?!'  It's actually the cutest picture from that photo session, in my opinion.  Max just looks confused in the other pictures.  And Charlotte looks eager to be anywhere else.  Perhaps next year they'll have bought into the hype and will be begging us to take them to see Santa.  Maybe not.

At least this Santa's beard appears to be genuine.

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)