Cookies and milk are old hat. Cupcakes and crafts are what’s in!

If the kids are begging for a glimpse of Saint Nick, consider this alternative to the quick photo op at the mall. Get creative with “Cupcakes with Santa” at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

“We have everything pre-baked. The kids get to create their own cupcake and drink milk. … There are sprinkles all over the floor at the end of the day,” said Teresa Randall, director of zoo education.

“This has been a long-standing tradition. I’ve been here 10 years, and it’s been going on as long as I’ve been here. At the time [the event began], there weren’t many places where children had a chance to interact with Santa for an extended period of time.”

Arts, crafts, cupcakes and one-on-one time with Kris Kringle all make for a pretty sweet deal. When you add in a reading of Christmas Mouse, however, it’s the bow that tops the well-wrapped package.

“[The kids will] have a chance to create their own unique holiday arts and craft, spend time with Santa, and they meet a zoo animal as part of this experience, also,” Randall said. “They meet a chinchilla, who looks like a big, overgrown, fluffy mouse.”

All in all, Randall said, it’s a “completely family-friendly day.”