The Big Man. And a Train.

Santa's crib.  Coincidentally located in the heart of downtown Midland.

Hi gang.

The Holidays are officially upon us, and although we're already two weeks into the 2015 holiday season, we're just now getting around to taking the kids to see Mr. Claus.

Kinda slacking this year.

Anyway, despite going to Bronner's two weeks ago, we opted to skip their Santa for the one in downtown Midland, as the latter has his own cobblestone house, a train, a toy shop, fewer crowds, is free, and is conveniently located five minutes from our house.

Santa arrives at his chateau. . .

Definitely a no-brainer there.

We got down there about ten minutes before the Big Man showed up to his house, so we were about twelve kids back in the line (a smart move on our part, as right around the time he got there the line was snaking all around the house.)  Afterwards we were lucky enough to walk right onto the train that ran every half hour around the downtown area.  All in all, a pretty easy Sunday outing.

Anyway, check out this year's pics from our visit with Kris Kringle. . .

The girls begin to shit their pants as Santa strolls up.   As he briefly addressed the outside line of kids and parents, he singled out Alayna and made some quip about not recognizing her on account of her missing tooth, which totally made her day.

Here's our kids in front of a giant, frickin' snowman.

(Not really the North Pole.)

The Cannonball's new favorite pose.

Abby.  Bein' weird.

No idea why Abby's so depressed here.  She's a bizarre child.

This branch of pine bought us a few minutes in line with the kids.  Whatever works.

Checking out the window displays in line. . .

Next in the queue, awaiting our turn outside an ominous red door. 

Checking out the window displays while waiting in line (this time inside, where it's warm and not-windy.)

Lots of crap to look at in Santa's crib.

Hey look, it's us.  In a sleigh.  Indoors.

Kris tries to keep the kids in line (literally), while Abby checks a Polar Bears incisors. 

She really wanted to hang out with these guys.

Abby stood in front of this clock going 'TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK' for about five minutes.  It bordered on creepy.

Lots of Christmas crap, lots of adults, lots of SLRs.

More of Santa's interior decorating.

You can barely see it, but at one point they actually released a shower of fake snow. . . much like they used to do down Celebration, FL.

Why do kids love this shit so much?

Behold. . . Santa's hearth.  I guess.

This Santa's pretty cool - he really takes his time with kids.  Each of our girls probably had two minutes with him, which, while it might not sound like a long time, kinda is. . . especially considering the huge line waiting both outside and snaking around inside his 'workshop.'

Alayna asked for 'Shopkins' this year (which are, honestly, the stupidest toy I've ever heard of), but Santa pressed her for more.  She couldn't really think of anything else on the spot, so he asked if it would be okay to surprise her a little on Christmas morning with some other things as well.  And of course she was cool with this.

Abby, probably for the first time in her life, wasn't apprehensive at all about sitting with Santa. . . thank God.  Even once she got past that little kid crying phase, she still wasn't fond of sitting on some random old dude's lap.

Abby asked for Star Wars toys from us, but she had specific items she wanted from Santa Claus this year:  Darth Vader pajamas and Darth Vader slippers.  This was awesome for us, 'cause we already bought her the exact things she was asking for.  It's always a moment of terror, awaiting whatever the hell pops out of your kids' mouths while they're visiting with Santa:  I'm always afraid they're going to ask for something completely random, or really expensive, forcing Kris and I to scramble like idiots at the last second.  Looks like we dodged the bullet again this year. 

The kids received a special ornament from Santa for our upstairs and downstairs Christmas trees this year, along with candy and a calendar. . . so needless to say they were pretty thrilled with things.

The courthouse in downtown Midland.

The Cannonball.  Being the Cannonball.

(She's singing.)

Not sure if they were allowed to manhandle the camels, but we let them anyway. . .

The kids wanted to go pick up Baby Jesus, so we had to yell at them.  You know, the usual.

As we were walking back to the car, an elderly chap came up to us and gave us four tickets for Santa's train ride.  We had anticipated a half-hour wait when we saw the train earlier, as that's what most other people were saying it was, but after we were given tickets we found ourselves at the front of the line, and on the train itself about five minutes later.  Can't complain with that at all.

NOT digging the camera in her face.

Hooray for trains.  This ride would prove to be a decent break from the cold air, for sure; the train drove about eight blocks around the downtown area, starting at the courthouse and driving all the way down to the Loons Stadium before heading east for a block, backtracking for a few blocks more north, then turning back towards the courthouse.  Pretty smooth ride, and it was HEATED.  Hell yeah.

Eating candy on a train.  Abby's in Heaven.

Disembarking at the end of our ride (which probably lasted about ten - fifteen minutes.)

Yet another awkward Hough family photograph. 

Skipping back to the van.

- Brian