MOA

The Mall of America.

It's funny- when my family moved here it was strictly branded "The Mall of America"....but we called it MOA.  Everyone we talked to was wondering what we were talking about.


But NOW, everyone calls it MOA.  Such trend setters.

They used to have a great Xmas display, but that was back when they had Snoopy Land (which they called "Camp Snoopy", but everyone I talked to that had been to Disneyland called it "Snoopy Land"- it was an unspoken understanding).  Now, Snoopy Land is "Nickelodeon Universe".

It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?

They could at least call it "Nicki U" or something.  I don't know.  I'm personally VERY much against Sponge Bob and most of the other Nickelodeon programs.  I would be against Dora, but she's very educational...and I first saw her in Ireland where she was teaching Gaelic (I really wish I could find those recordings...)

But I digress:  MOA Decorations suck.

They have Santa literally crammed into a janitor's closet next to Macy's.  They used to have Santa in this huge rotunda (called "The Rotunda"-fitting, huh?)  Well, the past few years, they have used this space for HGTV advertising.  HGTV puts up this elaborate miniature house and yard with different lights and advertising their programming.

But no Santa.

Is HGTV against Santa?

It seems to me that it's a great marriage between something that adults care about (HGTV) and Santa.  I mean, you have to wait in this huge line, anyway!  Part of the Santa experience is the lead up.  It's something that Disney was always great at:  when you wait in a line at Disneyland (or Epcot...or any Disney park), you don't feel like you're waiting in line because it's the whole experience of being there.  In fact, if you don't wait in line, you miss part of the story.  Well, that's my point.  Having Santa crammed into a janitor's closet with no visual lead up or story..that's criminal.  Who would want to go there?

MOA, you suck at Santa.

And besides, I would have expected that, being the Mall of AMERICA, you would have decorations for all of the winter holidays for different people of America...am I expecting too much?

BTW, the best Santa display that I'm aware of in the Twin Cities is (was?) at Southdale Mall.  They have a huge 2-story Santa house that they put up.  You can walk through both stories...and the display can be seen anywhere in the mall.  You get to see all the excited kids...it's an important part of the holiday lead up!

MOA, seriously- you REALLY SUCK at Santa.