The Santa Tea at Feathernesters

If any of my readers are from Richmond, Virginia, they already know about the Legendary Santa (the REAL Santa!) who was at Miller & Rhodes Department Store for so so many years.... This was where my parents took me and Matt to have lunch with Santa in the "Tea Room" for all of our childhood. All of my aunts and my Grandmas would go too.. There was Eddie Weaver who played the Organ, and the beautiful Snow Queen, and "Bruce the Spruce" (the talking Christmas Tree)...and there was an "act" every year that involved Santa drinking his big glass of milk in a couple gulps and his story about how Rudolph made a special cake for us all to enjoy...and we'd all go running to a big table to get a piece of "Rudolph Cake." And never fail - my Mom and aunts would all cry at the "magic" of it all. I thought they were crazy.

That tradition ended many years ago when Miller & Rhodes closed... They have moved "Legendary Santa" to several different locations throughout the city, but it's never been the same.

Well, a fabulous little gift/coffee shop near my house has started the tradition again... and we went today. What a wonderful, wonderful thing.

They brought back THE Santa. The one *I* used to see. He must be in his 90's easily. So he's not exactly the "bowl full of jelly" Santa anymore...but I don't care. They also brought back THE Snow Queen - she was the Snow Queen from 1970 - 1991 so I know I saw her.... They even had Rudolph Cake.

It was such a wonderful event and surely a "new" tradition for Stella.

AND my Mom and Aunts cried. Just like old times.