Experiencing Santa magic at Harrods Christmas Grotto 2015

Last year we went to Harrods Christmas Grotto, and ever since I have thought this could become one of our little family traditions. We loved the Santa's Grotto at Harrods. All those little activities while waiting, beautiful decorations, the friendly and oh-so-authentic Santa, all in that just a tad bit luxurious atmosphere that is Harrods. Our daughter loved it and so did we.

Understandably, I was really looking forward to the Harrods Christmas Grotto this year. Last year my daughter was just one, so she didn't really understand much about that old bearded bloke that was asking her questions about her favourite gifts. Now that she was bigger, how she would interact with Father Christmas? Would she be afraid of him? Would she find him funny? Would she try to chat with him or hide behind my back? I imagined a blissful scene where she would play in the decorated Grotto, chatting away with Santa and gracefully accepting a little gift from him. 

Now, what could go wrong with a two year old toddler? (OK, all you parents over there will know, a lot!). Before we get to that though, let me take you to the little Christmas world of Harrods for a moment.

This year the theme was Santa's toy workshop - you know, where all the elves gather and prepare all the toys for Christmas gifts? Except in this toy workshop it seemed to be mostly the little mice doing the work.

So many little toys, so many teddy bears, and so many little things to look and admire. Cute little things everywhere, and cute toys to play with! You could throw some Christmas gift packages in bags to be delivered to North Pole, Lapland or Harrods. You could play a floor piano, just like Tom Hanks in Big. You could check if you were naughty or nice, in a little barometer. And the best of all in my daughter's opinion, was a little car to sit in.

She loved that car. So we stayed. We stayed there, mock-driving a little convertible until there was no other child in the toy workshop. Until Santa came calling. And unleash the fury of a nap-skipping two-year old when she is taken away from her favourite toy.

'Nuff said.

As we went to see Santa she started bawling her eyes out. "Oh dear, oh dear" said the Santa, trying to calm her down. The wooden doubledecker we tried to placate her with thrown on the floor. Her refusing to sit with us, and screaming on the floor, looking away with tears in her eyes. So that's our Christmas picture with Santa for this year! We had to buy it, it was just far too funny not to have it.

Let's hope for a better experience next year.

P.S. We did enjoy it, I thought it was beautifully decorated, and had a fun theme. Santa I am sure would have been great too, he looked and sounded the part, as far as we could hear between toddler screeches... But I think we will have to do another try at a Grotto this Christmas!

Have you been to Santa's Grottos and how did it go?

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