Every year our volunteer fire department brings Santa on a fire truck into the neighborhood.  It’s quite exciting. First you think someone’s house must be on fire but then you run out of your house and see the fire truck with all of its lights on and sirens blaring with Santa on top.  The firemen that ride on the back jump off the truck and hand out candy canes.  This has always been a fun part of the holiday season until this year.  I heard the lead truck with its ultra megaphone saying Merry Christmas! Santa is coming!  I jumped up and told Bill  Santa’s coming. Get the boys.  I think Bill and I were more excited.  Billy promptly ran up the stairs.  Baden had no choice as I threw on my Crocs, picked him up and ran to the end of the driveway.  Bill was able to coax Billy out of the house, but he was complaining the whole time. Baden was wide -eyed having never seen this display before.  Santa came by and waved and we got candy canes.  Back into the house we go and Billy says why is Santa on a fire truck. He can’t be on a fire truck. He has to have his reindeer and his sleigh.  I told him well he is just here to see you to make sure you are being good and then he is going back home so he can get ready for Christmas Eve. The reindeer need to rest before the big night.  He wasn’t buying it.  He said well how can Santa come to our house.  I said well he will but  not until Christmas Eve.  He said well we don’t have a tree so Santa isn’t coming.  I told Billy of course he will.  He said, oh so dramatically, but we have no tree.  It was so sad.  So on Monday we put our tree up sans ornaments (at least for a few days).  Billy feels much better that  our tree is up and Santa will be here and that he might actually pay a visit to our house.