Santa is a Target Employee

A little Christmas story to make you smile...

Backstory: Ellie had a rough  night last night after receiving her usual vaccinations at the Dr. yesterday along with first doses of flu and H1N1 vaccines.  She seems to feel better this morning, as long as I'm giving her a little extra love and attention.  Robbie woke up crabby and all that could make him happy in the world was to watch Polar Express while drinking a cup of apple juice.  We had big plans to stay inside all day long.  Halfway through our peaceful viewing for the hundredth time, the DVD stops working (jumping and then freezing completely).  What else am I to do but throw the kids in the car and search for a new copy, what with a borderline sick baby and tantrum-y toddler?  We need peace today!  Especially since we are NOT attempting the trek to New Jersey in a few days without this beloved movie.  It is certainly our ticket to quiet and calm in the van for at least a few hours.

So this morning we are meandering around Target (after locating the new copy of Polar Express, of course), and who should appear in the canned goods aisle but a Target employee stocking the shelves.  What was unique about this man was that he was a jolly old fellow with a white beard, spectacle glasses, and of course the standard Target-red shirt!  On the heels of teaching Robbie who Santa Claus is, I knew he would take notice of this sweet old man just as I had, and make the comparison.  

The man made his way past us, and gave us a kind smile.  As soon as Robbie looked up from his perch within our shopping cart and made eye contact with the man, he froze.  His gaze followed the man as he walked away, and I stopped and watched to see what Robbie would do.  After a few seconds of stunned silence, wheels obviously spinning furiously in his little head, he turned to me with his wide eyes and a happily surprised expression and quietly exclaimed,

"Ho-Ho-Ho!"

Two other women were nearby in the same aisle, and watched this all happen.  They chuckled at Robbie's assumption that this dear Target employee might in fact be Santa Claus in disguise.

And I was worried that I might not get Robbie over to the mall to see Santa before Christmas...