Greg, not only was there cookies, milk in the third-generation Santa cup, along with carrots for Santa to eat. But, there were also, carrots and celery for the reindeer and a huge bucket of water.

All were dutifully taken care of my mom and dad, and there was very little water left after the reindeer were done drinking it. My granddaughter (8 yrs) was elated when she discovered the water was almost gone, "Look, the glitter food worked, the reindeer drank the water."

Isn't it amazing how the simple things can make the biggest lasting impression. She will remember this next December and when the day comes that she realizes, as we all sadly do, that Santa is not who she thought he was, she will carry these kinds of memories into her own family one day.

The she started to go through the contents of the stocking and found two sleigh bells. It went like this:

She touched them and her eyes lite up.
She drew them out of the stocking.
She jumped up and down, "He left me the sleigh bells, and look, they are used, they have scratches on them." Of course, the latter gleeful comment was due to the work my son in law did in the yard making them look scratched and old.

Then...
She found a folded piece of paper parchment paper in her stocking.
She drew that out and began to read it to herself, then, "Santa wrote me a letter," and she read the letter out loud. It was a response from Santa, to her letter to him, about the bells.

Her dad is an English professor and an highly published writer, so you can rest assured the letter sounded very authentic and the font he used just made it all the better.

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a memorable and happy day, especially the grandparents.

Next Stop!