So, just tolet you know...the que wasn't too bad (20 mins) and the DC's were quite patient.
None of my DC's were fooled into thinking it was the real FC. DD (3.5)anounced he wasn't the real one on the train home, - saying he had pretend hair on top of his real hair. Smart kid.
FC was quite a nice chap himself - and wierdly had some in depth knowledge of our home town, which he knows from flying over it aparently, so DH was quite impressed by that - and he explained to DD very nicely that he wouldn't be bringing her a real horse. (Phew!)
The grotto itself wasn't that festive (our local garden centre does a much better job) - a few fake pressents, a tree and some fake snow would have been nice. I'd expected a some animated raindeer or something, but never mind.
The DC's all recieved a sticker book, a giant gold coin and a badge (DH and I got a badge too).
We then went to the toy department wher DS2 saw Lewis Hamilton racing suit, which he WANTED NOW, and decided to have a sit in untill we bought it Much um, commedy ensued with us dragging a tantruming 5yo old of Harrods (he escaped at one point and bombed of up an escalator) and through Knightsbridge. Luckily no one seemed to think we had kidnapped him - he really was going for it, thrashing and screaming.
Oh, the joy of small children at Christmas time.