Airplane Santa!

We did a very cool Christmas event this year that we haven't had the chance to do before: see Santa fly in to the Princeton Airport! Santa + airplanes = Awesome. Add to that the fact that Santa brings a real present for each child (strategically aided by parents in advance), and they give you hot chocolate and cookies...this is a great idea!

The boys absolutely loved seeing Santa fly in. He did a few fly by's first. After the first one, Lewis yelled out, "Tell Santa to land the plane right now!" We then had a picnic lunch in the hanger while we waited for our turn to see Santa. Unfortunately I had forgotten that children see Santa in the order of gifts received. Since I had forgotten that, I didn't prioritize getting the gift there until the deadline. So, we had a very long wait accompanied by I spy, dancing, and exploration of all sorts of things little kids shouldn't touch in an airplane hanger.

Sadly, Beau didn't quite make it to the end. He had the most spectacular tantrum and had to be carried (by me) for about a quarter mile to where we had parked the car. It was quite traumatic for both of us, but ended with us snuggling in the car while we waited for Lewis to finish seeing Santa. Beau is still sad that he didn't get to see Santa (this, we feel, is a good thing so long as it helps him remember not to hit!). But, he did get a DVD of the Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular. That has brought us amazing joy and moments of quiet across this cold winter, as well as a new love of tap dancing for Beau who now fits Lewis' old tap shoes.