Mmmm. Great. That's why I'm here, blogging. (Warning, I'm about to be rather ungracious. I apologize in advance.) I am trying very hard not to dampen my son's enthusiasm. He is so excited and is bouncing off the walls, recounting Santa's estimated speed and checking the weather. He's been looking for a globe for the last half hour (I don't think Zorak's Mom has one, though.)
*sigh*
I'm not trying to be a Grinch, here, honest. In fact, it's just the opposite. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I love to celebrate it and enjoy it. But, you see, I had no intention of doing Santa with our kids. I didn't want it to be part of the push and rush and gimme-gimme-gimme that sucks the joy of the season right out the back window. Let's be intellectually honest, here, Santa isn't exactly upheld as an example we should follow. Families don't generally go around being Santa. Perhaps if we did that, I could be more enthusiastic. But we don't. And I'm not.
So, no, I'm not exactly Santa's biggest fan. And I know the arguments ~ the magic of childhood, the spirit of giving, yada yada yada, yeah, yeah, I know. I don't buy it. Sorry. Not to mention that horrible deer-in-the-headlights look I know crosses my face when the boys start asking questions about Santa. Um, you know, I'm the Jesus-question person. Daddy's the Santa-question person. Let's not stray outside those boundaries right now, shall we?
I tried not to do Santa, and for two years managed to get away with it. That third year, though, Zorak brought in reinforcements and I lost that battle in a big way. We do Santa now because Zorak wants to do Santa (although I wasn't aware of how badly he wanted to have Santa until that Santa Battle of Year Three). Considering his dearth of celebratory acknowledgements on any level this time of year, it's probably a good thing for him to have and to do. Generally, I am okay with our differences, as well as with how we go about handling certain differences. But this Santa thing just chafes me to the core.
So while I would love to be sitting by the tree with the boys, reading the story of Christmas... they're bouncing around in front of the television, waiting for another Santa update, salivating over what he'll bring them, and I'm trying to figure out when I can convince the rest of the adults that the TV needs to be turned OFF (please, for the love of God, I wish that thing would blow a fuse, anyway) and perhaps we could focus on something a little more "here", a bit more "present" (as in NOW, not GIMME).
Yeah. This is the one chink in the armor that usually rears its ugly head every year. I haven't learned how to handle it just yet, but at least I can come blog- get it off my chest- and then go rally the troops for something fun! Thanks for letting me get it out. I sure do appreciate it, and to be honest, I feel better already. Nobody here is a victim, per se, and I do hope I didn't sound horribly whiney. A little whiney, I rather expected, but hopefully not too much. *grin*
I put pictures on disk last night, so I'll come back later to post some of them. That'll be a much better Christmas Eve blog, anyway. :-)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
4 comments:
Patty in WA here--I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas! I have to tell you a funny story--this year, my 9yo son started "suspecting" about Santa. But he found out for sure when he was on SANTA'S LAP and S started telling him all about how excited he was to get home to Idaho, where his wife has put up with his being gone for the entire holiday season for years...it was about the nicest confirmation my son could have had. This particular Santa is a wonder--he is so kind and has been a "friend" for years.
I myself found out about Santa when I had done something so naughty my mother oculdn't figure out anything better to do with me than to TELL THE TRUTH. I probably deserved it. Anyway, I was proud of myself for making it longer than my mother did.
You know what I figure out the greedy grabbies? It drives me crazy in my son, too. But I also, *also* notice that he is as generous as can be--that he will give a kid a toy that the kid admires as often as not, that he has never had an "issue" with sharing--his nature is generous, and always has been. So yes, he has a lot of "stuff"--but he holds on to it loosely--because he enjoys it, not to "possess" it. I might be over-justifying... But I can't call my son "greedy" as long as he lives with an open hand. I know a lot of very rich people (living in Microsoft-millionaire land), and some of them have a lot of stuff-but they live with an open heart and hand, too. I know a lot of people who don't own a lot of stuff who have crabbed hearts. It's not the stuff, it's the way it's held. You can relax. Your kids will be fine.
Thank you for the blessing you have been to me this year.
Patty-
Thank you for the perspective check! The boys are generous, giving and kind. Their excitement over receiving isn't an indication of greed, but rather of childhood joy. We've watched them receive things while we've been here and promptly turn to the other to share it with him. Santa and the joy of giving don't have to be mutually exclusive. I know that, but was feeling pretty wound up at the time. :-) Sheesh, I should just write you an email, eh? But I did want to say thank YOU for the blessing you have been to me this year, as well.
Merry Christmas,
Dy
Oh Dy... I've found not doing Santa is more taboo than having more than 2 kids and homeschooling combined! If it's not the look of horror on strangers faces after my kids respond to their "are you excited that Santa is coming", it's trying to keep them quiet to other children. Did I tell you about how last year Alyssa exclaimed to my then-4-yo-believing brother, "Oh, Santa died many years ago!" when he mentioned Santa (the kids and I had a discussion about St Nick. previously). And just last week when I took the kids to see the Polar Express with friends she did it again! I told them beforehand that some children believed he was real and not just a game and that was up to their mommies and daddies ONLY to let them believe or not. I also told them if they told the children he wasn't real they would cry. Well... After the movie was over Alyssa went into the bathroom with her 6yo friend (who believes in Santa). The 6yo came running out and told her mom (who was right next to me), "Alyssa said there was no Santa!". I cringed. Her mom asked what she said and she replied, "I just laughed". When Alyssa came out of the bathroom she proudly exclaimed across the lobby, "Mom, she didn't cry like you said she would!!!"
Oy Vay Dy, be grateful you do Santa...LOL
Love you!
Jess
Dy, love your blog and the pictures above. (Are you and Jess related - you look like sisters!)
Jess, you're bang-on when you say how it's other kids sensivities you have to watch re the no Santa thing. We never celebrated Santa in our house (and btw, my kids are now 19 and 21 and none the worse for it either!). The year my son Ben started kindergarten, his teacher mentioned we might ask him to tone down his responses to other kids re Santa.
We watched him in action the summer he was four. He and the little boy in the next seat on the ferry were watching some object in the sky.
little boy: ...maybe it will go as high as Santa Claus.
ben: Santa Claus is a sham.
lb: (big-eyed silence)
ben: Do you know what a sham is? It's a fake!
The boy's parents were within earshot and we were relieved when the kids started talking about something else.
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