Tea with Santa 2012

This Christmas we continued a tradition that our family has done for many, many years! Sorry if that makes Grammy feel old :) When my mom and aunt were Claire's age, my grandma and great aunt took them to Tea with Santa at Miller & Rhodes. When I was Claire's age, they did the same thing. This was the year that I thought Claire would really start to enjoy it...and boy did she! She got all dressed up-in fact, the most dressed up she has ever been with a fancy red dress, a cardigan with sequins, little black tights and fancy black shoes. Complete with her gingerbread girl bow in her hair, she was ready to have tea with the big guy in red! Now that Miller & Rhodes is closed, they have it next door at the Hilton Garden Inn downtown. Everyone sat at tables and ate while Santa came down the chimney and walked around to greet everyone. We sang Christmas carols together with Santa and his elf and the kids got reindeer cookies, sat on the floor while Santa read them a story and then did a little song and dance number with the elf. At the end, Santa walked around again to personally say goodbye to everyone. It was such a fun tradition to start again and I can't wait to bring Griffin next year!

Waiting to go into the Tea with the Snow Queen

Special day with Grammy and Mary Alice! A tradition that goes back to when Grammy was a little girl! 

We enjoyed tea sandwiches, jello in fancy cups, chocolate covered strawberries and lots of different cookies! Oh, and yummy hot chocolate! 

Santa came down the chimney right beside our table and went around to speak to every child! 

Claire loved singing songs with Santa and his elf!

Getting her reindeer cupcake from Santa and his elf-I remember these from when I was her age! 

All the kids gathered around Santa on the floor while he read them a Christmas story

The highlight of Mary Alice's day was getting to take a picture with Santa at the end of the tea!

Enjoying the story!

Waiting patiently in line for her cupcake :)