A coke and a smile

I saw a short posting on Facebook the other day that reminded me of this brief, yet informative, conversation I had with LaGrande Mermaid the other day.

She noticed an old-looking advertisement for Coca-Cola where Santa was illustrated having a Coke and a smile. Interesting story there by the way.

I digress.

Dad!!
What?!
Look! Over there!
Ok?
What is Santa doing?
Uh….laughing?
He is drinking a…a…soda!
Yeah?
He doesn’t drink coke, he drinks MILK!
Ahhh, yeah. Some people will do just about anything in advertising to make you try to buy their product.
hmmm

There was a pause for a few minutes as we drove down the road.
I broke the silence with the following question?

Do you think he drinks milk in every country that he visits? In every house?
Yeah.
Well what if they don’t have milk?
Uhhhh.
He might get kinda tired of the same thing all the time anyway…I mean some countries may serve him WINE for all we know? Or goats milk maybe?

Well, at least he doesn’t go all around the world all at the same time – b’cause different countries have Christmas at different times. I mean, he has to come and visit here for like a week and have kids sit on his lap and ask them what they want for…hey?!
What?
How does he talk to all the kids that don’t speak English?
You think Santa only speaks English?
Well…
He speaks every language known to man, just like that mermaid in your movie.
Oh…hmmm
I mean, to be totally fair…language doesn’t even really apply to Santa – he ‘understands’ and ‘speaks’ in feeling and intent and in goodness and badness. He doesn’t really even NEED language.
Yeah. …and did you know that in my dance…

She moved on as adroitly and as suddenly as she had started the discussion not 5 minutes earlier.
I had a lingering feeling; like I was just…getting…warmed up, but I need to remember; Santa is what he is for her.

I like Christmas-time.