Mummascribbles – A visit to Santa – Mummascribbles

Last year we took Zach to visit Santa at a large garden centre not far from us which gets booked up really quickly. Even though I know this, I wasn’t sure of a certain date that we could do it this year and by the time I did get round to it, it was fully booked. I then discovered that another garden centre which we pass several times a week also has a grotto and upon seeing some photos a friend put up on Facebook, I thought it looked pretty darn fantastic. The great news was that they don’t take bookings so you can just turn up (yay!), and even better news was that it is generally pretty quiet. So on Saturday morning after Rugby Tots, a tiny spot of Christmas shopping and some brekkie, we headed over to visit Santa. I cannot even begin to explain how excited Zach was.

Upon arriving, I was informed that there was no queue and so I paid for the ticket (which was £7.50) and we headed on over to the grotto. Now, I find all of these things a little bit emotional and I am generally not sure how I didn’t burst into tears watching Zach. It wasn’t only a simple grotto, it was a whole walk through of beautifulness leading up to the big meet of Santa. We walked through room after room of absolutely stunning decoration and Zach was in awe the whole way through. There was a winter wonderland…

There was a gorgeous elf workshop and nativity scene…

And some stunning trees!

 

In the penultimate room, we met Mother Christmas who very kindly took our photo on the sleigh…

And let Zach play on the piano while she nipped through to tell Father Christmas that we were waiting to meet him.

She then popped back through to tell us that Santa was ready for us (clearly having briefed him on the name and age of Zach!).

Zach rushed through the curtain to see him and, well, it was just amazing. Santa was the best Santa I have ever met (and I’ve met a few over the years!). He was so good that even I felt like I believed who he was! He had a book which was his list of names that were on his good list and confirmed that Zachary was most certainly on there.

He then asked Zach what he wanted for Christmas. Zach’s response, as it has been for weeks now, was cake. This however is where Santa played a really mean trick on me. He asked Zach what colour icing he’s like on his cake, to which he informed him that it needed to be purple. And then, Santa promised that he would deliver cake to him.

HE PROMISED HIM A CAKE WITH PURPLE ICING.

Now I need to make a ruddy cake with purple icing on Christmas eve else Zach will think Santa was lying to him! Damn you Santa!

Santa then became wonderful again in my eyes because he told him to make sure he looks out the window when he goes to bed on Christmas Eve and look up to the moon where he might catch a glimpse of him. Zach, a little bit confused told him that he can’t look out for the moon, because he’ll be asleep. I think it’s because that he always looks for the moon but it’s been hiding somewhere in the sky recently where he just can’t see it. So cute!

After that, Santa took Zach to his shelves where he had presents upon presents stacked up high in order of ages. It was awesome!

He gave Zach his present and then Zach told him that on Christmas eve, he needs to deliver the presents to Nannie’s house because that’s where he’ll be. So Santa duly noted that! We then said our goodbyes and popped outside where Zach desperately opened his present and revealed a nerf style rocket launcher. Yay, thanks again Santa – I was being shot at, at intervals throughout Saturday afternoon!

To say this visit to Santa was epic would be putting it mildly. I am absolutely loving Christmas this year!