Snacks for Santa

"Let's bake some cookies!" I suggested to the girls on Christmas Eve morn. "Let's bake some cookies for Santa!"

The girls were delighted with the idea and set to work. They climbed up onto the counter and dumped butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, flour, baking soda, salt and lastly, oatmeal into my big white bowl. They took turns mixing as we listened over and over to Billy May and His Orchestra play Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. We put the cookies into the oven. As we waited for them to bake, we mamboed around the kitchen - shouting out together at the end of the song "What the heck is the Mahhhm-bo!"

When we had cooled the last cookie, Celeste carefully placed some on a plate for Santa - with a bit extra for his elves. She left Santa a cup of water and she laid out a bowl of water for his reindeer. Happy with her welcoming snack for St. Nick and friends, Celeste was ready to go to Nana's for Christmas Eve dinner.

Christmas morning, I lay awake and waited for the girls to discover their presents. Finally, after what seemed forever to me - they had slept in! - I heard a tiny pitter patter. It was Celeste. I heard her go downstairs. I heard her come back upstairs and get Emme. I heard her say "Emme! Wake up! You've gotta see this!" I heard the pitter patter of two pairs of tiny feet go downstairs, come back upstairs, and finally into my bedroom.

"Mommy! Daddy!" whispered Celeste excitedly. "You've gotta see this!" Bruce and I, with Brooke in my arms, took Celeste and Emme's small hands, and with closed eyes let them lead us down the stairs.

"Open your eyes!" Celeste ordered. We opened them expecting to see the presents Santa had left. Instead, we saw two plates full of crumbs, a half-eaten cookie, the remnants of a cut up apple, an empty cup and an empty water bowl. The girls were delighted.

"Santa ate the snacks we left for him!" Celeste beamed up at us. Miss Hospitality. "And the weindeer too!" Emme chimed in. Miss Hospitality Junior Miss.

Then and only then, did they check their stockings, and later under the tree to see what Santa had brought them.