1st Visits to the Christmas Tree Lot and Santa Claus

So Saturday after Lewis' playdate and afternoon nap, we headed out to see Papaw down at the Christmas tree lot. For as long as I can remember, Dad has spent his free time between Thanksgiving and Christmas selling trees for Lions Club. We used to go down there as kids and play hide and seek in the trees and drink hot chocolate in the trailer. Now that he is retired, Dad has been spending even more time there.  Saturday he had an 11 hour shift to work, so we took Lewis down to see him since he wouldn't get home until after Lew's bedtime.

Can't wait to chase him through the maze of trees when he's older!

Lew with Lion Sonny/Lion Papaw

Extreme close-up :)

After the tree lot, it was up to see Santa Claus! To rewind, we looked into getting his picture taken with Santa here in town, only to find out the malls make you pay an outrageous minimum of $25 for a photo package and don't allow you to take pictures with your own camera. Merry Christmas to you, too, people. Kevin mentioned that maybe New Castle might have something going on while we were in town, so I found on the newspaper's website that there would be a Santa uptown from 5-7pm on Saturday (perfect!) and that you could choose to purchase professional photographs or could take your own. They didn't mention a price, so we figured it would be donation-based or free (it ended up being free).

We mentioned going to see Santa to Mom, and she told us that the Santa would be the same Santa that we went to see as kids! Pretty neat and nostalgic and full-circle and all of that. I've mixed in some pictures of me with him at 1 year old for comparison (thanks for sending them, Mom!). I don't look too traumatized in these--I know I have seen some of me screaming and trying to escape, so my fear of him must have come a few years later. :)

Me (1 year old) with Santa, Christmas 1981

Lewis (9 1/2 months old) with Santa, Christmas 2011

Not quite sure what to think!

I talked with him for a little bit and told him who we are (he knows my dad)--he said this is his 41st (I think...40-something) year of being Santa. Afterward, he offered Lewis a candy cane, and I told him thanks but that he was too young for candy. He then proceeded to straight-up Santa Guilt me into taking a candy cane--something like, "Ho, there, you're never too young for caaandy!" It was pretty funny--I did end up taking a candy cane and thanked him. I'm so glad we went.

Some more pictures from Christmas, 1981.

With big sister, Emily (making a very Juniper-like face, I might add) 

(Em was almost 3 years old at the time.)

Trying to escape while Aunt Peggy looks on and smiles

One more post from our weekend to come when I get some more time--probably this evening.