MY NINE-year-old son is very much on the fence when it comes to believing in Father Christmas.
He’s at that age where he still wants to embrace the magic, but his critical thinking and logic are forcing him to question the truth. He flits between being adamant that Santa can’t possibly be real, to talking about elaborate traps he will set to catch him on the big night.
I’m therefore desperate to cram in as many magical moments of make-believe before he fully falls over the fence onto the other side.
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One of those, of course, is the obligatory visit to see Santa in the run-up to Christmas. Our chosen location was Hillier Garden Centre in Aldermaston, where children and their families can enjoy breakfast with Santa.
The garden centre was looking very festive when we arrived at 9am and were greeted by a member of staff who showed us to our table, in a prime spot right next to a beautifully decorated tree, accompanied by some Christmas dinosaurs.
The event is a real treat, with a delicious full English breakfast for both adults and children, accompanied by a hot drink of choice – coffee for me, being so early on a Sunday morning and an apple juice for my son. On the table was a fun activity pack with a festive wordsearch to keep children entertained before Santa’s imminent appearance.
His arrival was declared with a loud and booming ‘ho, ho, ho’ along with a ringing bell, as he appeared in the café accompanied by an elf, before making his way around to every table to talk to each child individually.
Seeing Santa interact with the other children and realising what might be expected of him before he arrived at our table, my son rolled his eyes and declared dryly: "I’ll ring the bell, but I am not saying ho, ho, ho."
When it was his turn, my son casually answered Santa’s questions before cheekily declaring he would be on the naughty list, with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. A quick check from the elf confirmed he was, in fact, on Santa’s nice list and could expect a visit on December 25.
True to his word, he rang the bell, allowing the tiniest hint of a smile on his face, but his mouth remained firmly shut. There would be no 'ho, ho, ho-ing'. He gave me a quick side-glance that told me he couldn’t believe I was making him do this, while I enthusiastically snapped away with my phone camera, determined to capture the moment.
“When I was a child, kids used to sit on Santa’s knee!” I told him, in an attempt at solidarity. “I know,” he replied, unshocked, “I’ve seen Elf.”
Next, Santa invited the children to sit in front of the tree while he read a Christmas story, before giving out wrapped presents to each child. My son opened a lovely hardback Christmas story book, and was also given a festive biscuit and some sweets from the elf.
The event offers a really special treat and the perfect way for children to see Santa, hopefully helping keep the magic alive for that little bit longer, even if only for the adults!
Breakfast with Santa runs at Hillier Garden Centres until December 24, costing £25 for children, which includes a gift, and £15 for adults.
