This year we buypassed the time-honored but exhausting tradition of standing in line to see Santa at the mall. Every year we wait for an hour or two, finally arrive at Santa and then both girls shout their wish list from about 20 feet away because they don’t want to get too close. I beg, plead, whine and throw a major tantrum and eventually we get a picture of both ladies grimacing somewhere in the vicinity of Santa. Last year, both girls actually smiled but Santa was scowling.

So this year, I decided to write the whole experience off though I felt guilty about it every time I passed the Christmas cattle call at the mall. Then, as if by Christmas miracle, our local McDonald’s announced a dinner with Santa last night and Darling Hubby agreed to take the girls.

This morning, I asked the ladies how their visit with Santa went.

“It was great,” Tate said. “He was jolly and squishy and didn’t scowl at us like he did last year.”

I asked Cat what she and Santa discussed. “He asked what I wanted for Christmas and I told him I wanted an iPod nano. Santa said he would see what he could do but that it was an awfully big gift and wanted to know if I had been good all year.”

“What did you tell him?” I asked.

“I told him that I mostly had, but that I fought with my sister a lot, but only because she is annoying and doesn’t do what I tell her to. What do you think Mom, even if I wasn’t good enough for a new iPod, do you think Santa will think I was good enough for a used one?”