It's the most wonderful time of the year! Not only is the Samuel Adams Winter Classics pack back on store shelves, but Christmas is coming. We here at the Gruetzmacher household have been feverishly preparing for the arrival of Santa Claus, and Kasia is getting more and more excited every day.
The lights are up and the tree is trimmed. At least I think the tree is trimmed... I mean, it's decorated. Is that what "trimmed" means? Well, just in case, I also cut all the excess fat off it, so it's lean, mean, and green. And to top it all off, we went and saw Santa Claus last weekend.
This year, Kasia did better with Santa than I expected, though not as well as I would have hoped. While we were at home, she was all excited about wanting to see Santa. While we were waiting in line, she was adamant that she did not want to see Santa. And while we were seeing Santa, she was mixed on her feelings. It's very much a love/hate relationship at this age. She loves the fact he brings her lots of toys, but hates the fact he has a big white beard. Kasia is not a big fan of facial hair, unless it's someone she knows really well. But in the end, she did sit on Santa's lap, though she did need to have us by her side to keep her from running. We were able to get a picture, which is more than I can say about last year and our attempt to get a picture with Santa. So I really can't complain about anything.
The funny thing is that we took her to see Santa at the Bass Pro shop, which was unbelievably amazing. They were decked out for Christmas and had one of the most amazing Christmas set-ups for kids that I've ever seen. There was coloring, and race cars the kids could play with. Plus the kids could take a trip to the rifle range and practice their target shooting. I just find it amusing that the store which has been voted the most Christmas friendly store in America, is probably also the most unfriendly store toward reindeer. Rudolf and Dasher must have been quaking in their jingle-bells when they enter that store and see rows and rows of hunting camouflage, rifles, deer stands, and high powered crossbows. Is that the pitter patter of reindeer hooves on the roof? Or is it the sound of a guy in an orange cap and a 12-gauge shotgun with a taste for reindeer? At the Bass Pro shops, you just never know.
But we got the picture with Santa. That's all that matters.
We spent Christmas Eve this year in Colonial Williamsburg. It's a great place to go with carol singing, a large Christmas tree, and everyone in the festive Christmas spirit. But what makes it truly special is the fire. The torches. The giant bonfire in the middle of the street. There are also a number of cannons around the main square that they fire off to either announce the Christmas or the Red Coats are coming. As strange as it sounds, both were correct. A fife and drum band (in red coats) began to march on the square just after the cannons. 
