The Christmas season has a variety of meaning to millions, but to children of Virginia and beyond who believed in Santa Claus from 1936 until 1990, there was only one place in the world to see, visit and have lunch with him: seventh floor Santaland in the Old Dominion Room and The Tea Room at Miller & Rhoads Department Store in Richmond.

Even after Miller & Rhoads died in 1990, and it was a tragic closing to all who remember, the tradition of what was and is still referred to as "the real Santa" went on without the tearoom in other locations. Today he appears at the Children’s Museum still dropping down the chimney just like he did for years, but it is still not the Miller & Rhoads scene.

In the Tea Room you got to dine with Santa Claus where he made his entrance as Eddie Weaver on his famous organ banged out "Here Comes Santa Claus." Everyone stretched to see what Santa was having for lunch but usually the family menu, which had been established from many previ...