Photo credit: blog.sfgate.com

So the Easter Bunny (in other words, me) suddenly realized that my tween won’t officially turn into a teen until after Easter. This raises an Easter basket dilemma.

 You see, although he no longer believes in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny, his nine-year

photo credit: Kimberliah.com

old sister does. And so, we have still go through the charade with him, until she finally figures it all out as well.

A while ago she had asked me, in front of him, at what age Santa stops bringing gifts. He immediately, quite cleverly announced that you are considered a kid until you officially become a teen, that is, thirteen years old. Then he grinned at me as if challenging me to correct him. The little brat had me there. He obviously didn’t mind getting extra presents in exchange for not telling his sister there was no Santa!

Filling his stocking last time was quite a challenge too, since the kid does not like candy. (Although, it has crossed my mind that this too may be a clever ploy to get extra gifts.) After a couple of hours of wandering through the store trying to find something age-appropriate that would fit in the stocking, I finally caved in and bought an  iTunes card. Yes, that’s right. Fifteen dollars to fill his stocking! It actually crossed my mind to see if they had any leftover briquettes in the store, that I could pass off an lumps of coal!

Since his birthday is after Easter, I realized that I had to go through this expensive charade one last time. At our covert pre-holiday

Photo credit: kittywumpus.net

meeting, where I tried to convince him how much he loved Skittles, he gleefully suggested that there was one remaining set of Bakugan toys that he had never collected and that given that he still wasn’t a teen yet, it wasn’t too late. Once again, he knows he’s got me.

At the store, I quickly filled my shopping cart with nice, cheap girlie things: stickers, bracelets, stamping sets, lip gloss. Then I trudged to the back of the store and spent 20 minutes scouring the toy section until I had located the right set of Bakugan’s – twenty four dollars worth, I might add!

I swear, on his birthday he’s going to get two cards: one birthday will be a birthday card from the family. The other is going to be a large, musical good-bye card from the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa, thanking him for being such a loyal customer!

Suzanne

A professional “trailing spouse” and mother of two, Suzanne has lived in several different countries. Her fifth corporate relocation (yes count ‘em, five!) brought her family to Richmond VA in the summer of 2011, and she is really excited about exploring all of the possibilities that Richmond has to offer! Also, she in not moving again. Really. She means it!

Hardware Santa will be at The Toy Store this year!

For many years I had the distinct pleasure of volunteering down at Pleasants Hardware midtown during the Christmas season. I greeted shoppers as they passed by the unassuming Santa Land hidden in the back of the store.

Santa Claus held court at Pleasants Hardware on Saturdays during December for 13 years. There was something magical about him. He definitely had twinkle in his eye and jolly spirit. He surprised many a shopper as they searched for their hardware needs.

Santa had a hug for everyone and a picture, too, even if they did not have a penny to donate or canned goods to spare. Donations supported The Children’s Miracle Network, Sargent Santa or the Central Virginia Food Bank. Young and old stopped to spend a moment with Santa. Rich or poor, it didn’t matter, Santa gave everyone equal time.

Over time, the Pleasants Hardware Santa became a tradition for many families. Often, after the Richmond Christmas Parade you would find a line snaking through the aisles of folks wanting a picture with Santa. Santa even made the cover of Richmond’s own Style Weekly Magazine.

Some of my fondest memories with Santa include the year Santa saw a woman in the store and he spoke to her. I recall her face lighting up. Her husband explained that she had been in an accident that had caused amnesia. She was so excited to have her picture taken with Santa. We were all so moved by experiencing her sheer joy, there was not a dry eye in Santaland. Another memory is of the cutest little boy, he had no money or canned goods. His mother told him they couldn’t afford to see Santa. Santa walked to her and told her it was no charge, you’ve never seen such a smile on a child’s face.

Perhaps my most vivid and special memory was Christmas of 2003 when I got to take my first born child to see Santa. After all the years of seeing Santa with other babies, it was finally my turn to lay my baby in Santa’s arms.

Not long after that, Santaland at Pleasants Hardware was no longer. My heart was broken. I am sure many other Richmonders were sad to lose their Hardware Santa. I am happy to report that the Hardware Santa can be found once again, only in a more traditional setting. Head out to The Toy Center on Patterson Avenue (next to a Pleasants Hardware store) on Saturdays between 12 and 4 p.m. Or on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. To 2 p.m. Don’t forget to bring your camera. While there feel free to make a donation to Child Savers.

Lisa McGhan

Native Richmonder, Lisa McGhan is a full time stay at home mother of four. She has been married to her soul mate for nearly 12 years. She is the founder and President of the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Childrens-Heart-Foundation-Virginia-Chapter/138995752783455"<Children's Heart Foundation Virginia Chapter and works to raise awareness for Congenital Heart Disease. Her new found love is distance running. When not on the computer or in the momvan, she can often be found pounding the pavement.