Michael Strong talks with five-year-old Alana about her toys, Lego towers, and Christmas. She guesses there are about 100 Santas worldwide, remembers getting a dollhouse last year, and wants a watch and Cinderella dress this year.
How are you?
Good, how are you?
I'm very well. Is this your bedroom with all of the cool stuff in the background?
Yeah.
It looks like you have lots of books and toys.
Yep.
What are your favorites? Um, Legos. I think Legos are one of the best toys ever invented. They're a lot of fun. What do you build with Legos?
Like towers, but they're like Mega Legos, so like they're really big, so I can do it really fast.
What's the tallest tower you've ever built?
It was like, um, this high or something.
So you've never built a tower that's as tall as you are?
I never built that one.
Could you? Do you think it's possible?
Um, I don't know.
Do you have enough Legos to build a tower that tall?
I don't know. I have tons, but different things are in there. I get confused.
I see, I see. Well, towers with Legos are fun, and I think it's great that you're learning to build towers with them. So is today a special day?
Yes, it's Christmas Eve.
And what is special about Christmas Eve?
That it's actually already Christmas and we get to go to family and spend Christmas with them.
And do you like Christmas?
Yes, I do.
Tell me why.
Because we get all the presents.
And do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Day.
And do you know where the presents come from?
Santa!
And who is Santa?
Santa's the guy who like delivers presents and he goes down all the chimneys. Oh, we don't have a chimney, but maybe he could use the front door.
Ah, have you ever seen Santa?
Not in real life. I only see the Coronado Santa.
Is that a real Santa?
Um, No, I guess.
Why do you guess no?
Because the San Diego Santa is like— I think it's real because it has like, it has more white beard and the Coronado one has a little grayish.
I see, so there are two different Santas. There's one in San Diego and one in Coronado Center.
Yeah.
Which one delivers the presents?
Um, San Diego Santa?
Did you ask him?
No, I'm guessing.
Okay. Do you think there's more than one Santa?
Yes.
How many Santas are there?
Like, there's Santas for the whole wide world.
Does that mean What's the biggest number you know about?
100.
You think that means there is 100 Santas?
I think so.
You think there might be more than that?
There might— actually, there is not more than that.
Why not?
Because the whole wide world is actually not even 100 islands. But there's 100 states in the islands.
Okay, so the whole world is not even 100 islands. How do you know how many islands there are in the world?
I don't know.
Are you guessing?
Yeah.
Okay. And last time I asked you if you remembered Christmas last year. Do you remember Christmas last year?
No, actually I do.
You do?
Well, I remember what I did.
What did you do last year?
My mom surprised me with my presents.
In your bedroom at home or in your living room or where?
In our living room at a hotel.
Wow, were you traveling?
I think so, yeah.
And did you have a big family meal? Yep. Do you remember what presents you got last year?
A dollhouse.
Do you still have the dollhouse?
And, um, I forget what else because all I remember was that I was wishing for like a dollhouse. I over— I, I only remember that.
You still have that dollhouse?
No.
What happened to it? We gave it away for lack of use. Oh, well, so you really, really wanted it, but then you didn't use it, huh?
Yeah, I used it a little though.
So what do you want for Christmas this year?
A watch and a Cinderella dress.
You think you'll get those?
Yep! I can just write my list down.
Okay, and do you— will you use those?
Yes.
What will you use the watch for?
Telling time.
What will you use the Cinderella dress for?
For like special occasions, Halloween.
Are there any other special occasions where you can wear a Cinderella dress other than Halloween? I don't know.
Or maybe I can get a Belle dress.
A Belle dress? Yeah. I don't know what a Belle dress is.
Belle is one of the princesses.
Oh, okay, you know more about it than I do. Could you wear a Belle dress more than a Cinderella dress?
Yeah.
When could you wear a Belle dress?
Like on Halloween, on special occasions, at parties or something.
Could you wear a Cinderella dress all those times too?
Nope, I only had Frozen and Moana.
I see. Okay.
All right.
Well, um, I think it sounds like you're ready for Christmas. Um, are you getting other people presents?
Yep.
What presents? Well, is it secret? You want to keep it secret?
Well, I only— I already gave two people presents when they were over here, but now I'm gonna surprise all the other of our family.
Okay, well maybe I'll let you keep it a secret so you can make it a surprise, and then next week we can find out what you gave everybody for Christmas, okay?
Okay.
Okay, well I want to wish you a Merry Christmas.
I wish you a Merry Christmas.
I will let you have a wonderful Merry Christmas. Thank you.
Happy New Year. Happy New Year and happy holidays.
Happy holidays to you. Bye-bye, Alana.
Bye.
