Going to see Santa

Grace is two since September so it is still a bit early to understand Santa but we still decided to go and visit him anyway for the experience and to get her first photo with Santa Claus himself. The last couple of years resorts around Ireland have really invested heavily in the whole Santa visit. We decided to go to Fota Island in Cork which is around 40 minutes away. Thats the good thing about Ireland. The country is around 400 miles by 200 miles so the longest time it will ever take you is 4 hours to be from 1 end of the country to another

Fota Island is great. It has a championship golf course which hosted the Irish open 2 years ago, a 5 star hotel, a zoo in which the animals roam free (apart from the tigers) and of course Santa's village.So off we went down to see Santa.
We knew it would be touch and go whether Grace would be screaming the place down on encountering a man with a white beard and a red suit but we said we would take our chances, The dog must be whispering in her ear. He doesn't really like anyone not in the inner circle. Grace is the same. If its not Mamma, Dadda , Nanna, Yaya (Grandad for some reason) she gives them the evils.
So the elves led us down candy land and into see Santa Claus and Grace started saying No even before we got there. She didn't trust the elf named Jingle. Demanded we go back to the car. Jingle knocked on Santas Grotto and we had to lift her up and walk her in.

Santa started talking and that was it. The tears came and she wanted to go. Santa said we should take a photo so we tried to distract her enough from the tears to get a photo.

The photo was taken mid wriggle and frown but at least she wasn't crying like in the other 12. She was cryong but the photo didn't capture it. My wife is laughing because it looks like I'm the one sitting on Santas knee. Wonder does he have any steem in his sack?
The great thing about Fota was after we seen Santa we had to see Mrs Claus. That went down like a lead balloon too and Mrs Claus looked very disappointed that she couldn't work her magic on our frowny daughter. The reindeers after that were really nice and Grace started to enjoy it.

Looking at the reindeer
After the reindeer we travelled on sugarcane road to get the train to Santa's village. The aim of the trail was to find the blue sugar canes. It was like taking candy from a baby. I smashed it.

We spotted a photo opportunity which summed up our daughters mood in the picture below. Grinch Alley

One of the elfs gave her a marshmallow and she soon cheered up. She was all happy again but it was the end of the road.

We went back to the xmas market and she went on her first carnival ride. I asked the carni to give them a good whirl but he said she was too small. I put the 20 euro back into my pocket in embarrassment.

All in all even though our little angel didn't really enjoy herself, we had a great time. I was well worth the visit and hopefully next year Grace will not be in a grump and she will be old enough to understand more about Santa, the elves and everything christmassy because it really was a magical place.

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