Merry Christmas

I've been wanting to post about my daughter and her Santa hat for about a week, but either I was out of town on a business trip or she was at her grandparents' house - and this post simply requires an accompanying illustrative photograph. Thank goodness for a pretty quiet Christmas morning - it gave me the chance to stop her for just a few seconds and grab a picture.

For about four years now, my daughter has worn a Santa hat every day for the week or two before Christmas. She thought it was a cool and different thing to do and she liked all the attention and laughs the hat brought her when she started wearing it to school. I love the fact that she wants to be different and express her personality. (She also insists upon wearing non-matching socks and has done so for at least 2 years now....it's another great thing that makes her special.)

Last week, I told her how much I liked the fact that I completely identified her with the Santa hat now. She looked at me and simply said: "I know. It's my trademark."

Maybe I'll ask her to help me come up with a trademark of my own this year. After all - the marketing gurus all say that a person should try to develop his or her own "brand." I've never had any idea what my "brand" is - but I think it's great that my 10 year old has a clear sense of herself. She's the Santa girl with the fun, funky, non-matching socks.