I remember fondly going out to an annual breakfast with my dad, The Game Guy, Sr., one special Saturday in December for pancakes and then to a little mall full of non-chain stores to visit Santa Claus- who was the embodiment of ol’ St. Nick if I ever knew one. One of the benefits of being at such a mall was the total lack of crowds which allowed our Kris Kingle to be take his time and actually engage in a conversation with me. After I got done visiting with Santa, my dad and I would then go Christmas shopping for my mom (it wasn’t until many years later that I realized the Saturday alone was probably the greatest gift my Dad and I could have given her).
By the time my sister came along, we kept up this tradition for at least 10 years. And for 10 years, the same Santa Claus. No foolin’- it was the same guy every year, and after a few years, he started to remember my dad (something about the Scotch my dad would bring for him probably was the trigger).
So as I looking towards my first Christmas as a dad, I can’t wait to start this tradition with my own son, Game Boy. Naturally this begs the question: where, dear readers, is the best place in Sacramento for a pancake breakfast (please don’t say Pancake Circus) and an awesome Santa? My first thought was to search out non-chain-based malls to capture the Santa experience of my youth, but then quickly realized that meant Florin Mall which instantly terrified me. So, any other suggestions?
A lot of elementary schools now have a Santa Pancake Breakfast, as do Lions Club and other civic organizations. These are great as your $2-4 donation can support a wonderful organization, and keep your $$ in your pocket by avoiding the money sucking whirlpools that are the mall. This search turned up some good options for me…
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sacramento+santa+pancake+breakfast+2008
Quite a few of these have a park near by perfect for enjoying some wonderful holiday time with your child away from hustle and bustle! New tradition in the making???
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Awesome suggestion CSI, I hadn’t thought of that- I’ll be sure to look into that as an option.
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I also just found out that the Train Museum does a Polar Expres train ride/reading with visit from Santa. It looks sold out this year, but has anyone done this in the past? This looks like a really neat event for families.
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I can’t take credit, but it nicely lays out Christmas at the Squip house. You know the tune. And try the 49er Truck Stop off W. (WAY west) El Camino- services on Sundays.
Chet’s nuts roasting on an open fire
Take a nip of Jack Frost’s nose
Yuletide Carole being cooked with her choir
And pies, made from real Eskimos
Everybody gnaws some Turks and some Armenians
When they’re seasoned up just right
Tiny tots with their skins all aglow
Buttered for a midnight snack tonight
We know that Santa’s on his way
We’re going to stuff and barbecue him in his sleigh
And every cannibal is going to try
To see how many elves and midgets he can fry
And so I’m offering these recipes
For humans one to ninety-two
You can grill them and bake them in so many ways
Happy dining, ghastly dining
To you
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Just in from the Natomas front:
Natomas Middle School is having a pancake breakfast with Santa this Sunday. $5 for adults, $3 for kids, $5 for a photo with Santa.
Funds raised help Natomas Middle kids get to Washington DC, where they will enact laws and pass the new budget.
Sunday, Dec 7, 8-10:30, Natomas Middle, 3700 Del Paso Road
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