The Annual Pilgrimage

Tomorrow we will make our annual pilgrimage to Northpark Mall to visit Santa Claus. He is the only Santa my kids have ever visited. This will be Jonathan's 9th visit to the Northpark Santa. Here is part of the reason why:

Heralded as "one of the country's premier Santas" by CBS News, NorthPark Center's Santa Claus is a Dallas favorite. Carl Anderson, Ph.D., has been portraying the jolly old elf for 24 years, the last 18 at NorthPark Center. Anderson, who has an uncanny resemblance to Saint Nick, is an adjunct professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas in Austin and a counseling psychologist working with families. He has been featured in "The Wall Street Journal," "People Magazine" and "USA Today". "The Dallas Morning News" gives him four stars, "Park Cities People" People's Choice Awards have named him "Dallas' Best Santa". We agree that he is the best Santa Claus ever.

He is great with the kids. The setting is intimate and fairly quiet. You take a number so you do not have to stand in line. He has moved this year, so I am not sure if it will be as intimate as it has been. We shall see.

I have to admit, I love the trip as much as the boys. It is our tradition and that is important, but to be honest, I love that mall. Especially at Christmastime. The first 6 trips were shorter since we lived in Fort Worth. Even then people thought we were a little crazy for going that far to see Santa. There is a perfectly good Santa at Northeast Mall in Hurst. It is not the same, it just isn't. Besides, the stores at Northpark are awesome. And I swear the crowds are just a little nicer than at other malls.

Then there is lunch or dinner. The last several years we have gone across the street to the Cheesecake Factory. This is one of the highlights of the trip for Mark and I. We absolutely love the Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.

My friend Nancy has asked me to return something to the James Avery Craftsman store. Thank you Nancy. This gives me the perfect excuse to go into that store. "I have to, it's for Nancy!"

The weather has been so crazy hot here lately, I have not really gotten into the Christmas spirit. I am hoping this little trip to Dallas will change that. It usually does.