The Santa House

How do I even describe this place?!? It's in Poway, in one of the custom home neighborhoods. This guy, JH, is like a big kid with an even bigger allowance. Ever year he decorates his house and hires a Santa, and people are welcome to come for free. The kids get a toy, and there are cookies and hot chocolate.

JH is in my grandparents ward, where we lived when we were first married. The year that I was pregnant with Roman, they had the ward party at his house, I don't think there was a Santa though. We walked around and saw the
decorations. This was the first year that we have gone since we have had the kids though. And it was even wilder than I had remembered!! Actually, I hear he does something new every year!!

You walk up to the driveway... because of course there is no parking near by, and there are huge lit archways, and right away you get to wait in line for Santa. Mr. and Mrs. Clause have their own little gazebo with a full size sleigh and garlands and what not. The boys made their requests and we took a few pics. Mrs. Clause gave them each a
candy cane, and then it was time to pick their toys. Buckets of toys lined the back of the gazebo for the kids to pick from.

JH has been doing this for a while, and a few years ago, decided that he needed more room. He actually built an addition onto his garage, just for the purpose of displaying his Christmas toys. So that was where we headed first. Little snow covered houses, animated Mickeys and friends, a Christmas tree and waist high reindeer. Amongst others.

Then you get to go into their actual house, just the entry way. More toys and decorations. One full room of oversized stuffed animals, nearly life sized.

Outside he has a series of little play houses that are decorated and themed. One is a chapel with little cabbage patch kids sitting on the pews watching the My Size Barbie marry Ken. Another is Santa's toy testing area, with a train going around and other cutting edge toys. Then there was a soda fountain where Santa went to relax.

Outside there was hot chocolate and cookies, and more decorations. Giant ornaments hanging from the trellis, lights everywhere, and a carousel with gears and filled with toys.

The baby enjoyed his very first candy cane while the boys snacked on cookies and shared a hot chocolate.

When we lived in my grandparents ward, we had so many people take us under their wing. One of those families lives right across the street from the Santa house. The sweetest, kindest people you could ever hope to meet. We stopped by, unannounced, at 8 pm to say hi. They had never met Isaac or Aaron, and last saw Roman when he was a baby. They welcomed us in and we visited for half an hour. Seeing them was definitely the high light of my night, and perhaps the whole season. They are an amazing example of love and charity and I hope someday I can express to them just how much they mean to me.