Don't Throw Santa Under The Bus!

A few weeks back while at work there was a family that came in with their kitten. Having young children of my own (and because I love kids), I always try to engage children in conversation as I am setting up for an appointment. (For those that don't know I am a Veterinary Technician) My best guess was that the kids were around four and six. Since it was just before Thanksgiving I thought this would be a perfect time to bring up Santa! Most kids can't wait to rattle off the list they have created and are anxious to babble on about all the things they will ask for.

Let me preface this next paragraph by saying I do know that not everyone celebrates Christmas. I am aware that people do practice other religions and have their own traditions which do not include Santa. I decided to go out on a limb with it anyway and asked: "Are you getting your lists ready for Santa"? Both children took a moment before answering with a "No". I knew right then with how the room suddenly felt that I should have kept my big mouth shut and stuck to topics on furry animals rather than the man in the red suit. It was their mother who filled in the silence with: "We don't celebrate Christmas. It is too commercialized." Let's just say she had the last word on that conversation as I quickly jumped to how cute their kitten was and other ramblings that did not have a thing to do with Christmas.

Just like that Santa was thrown under the bus. Not because of religion, not because it was not their culture, yet because society has turned Christmas into dollar signs and presents. Yes, this mother is indeed right about that. I do not argue the fact that our culture has turned Christmas into a money making event. This does not mean we can't still celebrate Christmas and the mystery of Santa because of it. I believe it is our responsibility to teach our children what the holidays are really about. Let's face it friends, there are many things in society that will teach our children things we do not want them to know. Society will hand our children ideas that we cannot keep them from. Unless you have a bubble and a blindfold for your children you are not going to hide them away from what society has to say.

I have fallen in love with the holidays once again now that I have children of my own. Living their excitement through their eyes has been nothing short of amazing. I was brought up with Santa and I will be damned if I don't let my children experience him just as I did. As much as we talk about Santa, the elves (yes, I did falter to the evilness of those scary looking dolls. Ours are named Percy and Sheldon) and Rudolph we also talk about what the holidays mean. It is my job as a parent to teach my children that the days ahead are more than just gifts. It is my responsibility to talk about giving and sharing with others, doing kind deeds, donating and offering to help one another.

Here is what we can do during the holidays to teach our children what the holidays are truly about:

* Have your child divide up their toys. Make three piles: a pile to keep, a pile to throw away, and a pile to donate. I recently did this with my almost five year old and when given the responsibility he made some great choices. We got rid of toys that were broken and things that he didn't play with much he wanted to donate. We got a bag together and he brought it in to Goodwill. He was happy to donate his toys as we talk often about being thankful for the things we have that others don't.

* Donate food to a local shelter. This time of year there are several places that are in need of food, bedding, and even pet food. Check within your community and local family centers and see what they need. Have your children participate in gathering a bag of donations. This is something we have done the past couple years and my son loves to help put things in a bag. You don't always have to go buy things either. Take inventory of your own shelves and pantry, if there are doubles of anything put those things aside. Maybe you go grocery shopping and pick up an extra container of oatmeal, bag of pasta or can of beans. Every little bit counts!

* Talk to your children! Have conversations around what the holidays mean. Tell them how lucky they are. Explain that even though we exchange gifts and Santa comes that Christmas is much more than that. Teaching the value of family, love and compassion comes from home.

* Make homemade gifts with them. There is nothing more my son likes to do than to do a project of some sort and give away the end result away. He is always giving my husband and I something he made or insisting he draw something for his grandparents. He does this with such pride and excitement. Get art supplies, glitter, glue, and paint. The internet is full of wonderful craft ideas for homemade holiday gifts. Get crafty, be creative, and let them have fun. It will mean so much more to them if they make it!

These are just a few ideas and things I try to practice within my own home. I am not judging you if you choose not to celebrate Christmas or Santa because it is a spiritual decision. Yet before you try to destroy the magic of Santa just remember that Christmas is whatever we want it to be for our children. Don't throw Santa under the bus because of what society has made him! Let's teach our children about gratitude, love, and sharing during the holidays. Let's show them what the Christmas spirit truly is. Let's let Santa be a part of the holidays; leave the big guy alone! 


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Dialing Santa and canceling the Easter Bunny

Living with an almost four year old at Christmas time can be exciting. Then there are moments when it can also be rather exhausting. Lately I feel like I am repeatedly threatening to call Santa. That's right, I tell my child if he does not behave I am calling Santa. I have even picked up the phone to "call" him. Moments like this I really wish there were a Santa. I would call him, have him march his ass over here and put my kid in his place. Then reality slaps me in the face and I realize that I am Santa and it is ME who needs to wrangle the little animal and hope to God that he pulls it together so I do not turn into the Grinch. 

How often am I dialing Santa? I pretty much pull out the Santa card twenty a few times a day. It is effective for short periods of time. It allows mama to pull herself back together and prepare for the next mishap in our house. This may not be parenting at its finest, this I understand. Let's face it, kids want there to be Christmas so in a desperate moment calling Santa may just do the trick.

The problem with this is that soon after we are left with no Santa. We have to wait months before we pull out the Santa card. Yeah, there is the Easter bunny. He too could just hop on by our house. I am sure that I may slip up and threaten that one as well. After Christmas I will still be left with the same child, and no Santa Claus. I have to also admit I pull out the: "If you don't start behaving you are not going to school today!" card. Chase LOVES school. For him to not go would be painfully sad for him. Let's be honest here though, if I kept him home it would be equally painful for me.

Parenting, as many of you know, is the most challenging thing we will ever do. There are classes, books, along with several professionals who are all ready and willing to tell you just how to raise your kid and what you are doing wrong. I may read the occasional article but I don't do those books. I believe each child and home is unique. Most of us are doing the best we can. Some days are harder than others. I feel like I am the biggest critic of myself. I know some days I need to try harder and be better. That is what tomorrow is always for right?! I am learning. My children are learning.

I know there are other tactics besides dialing Santa Claus, I do attempt those as well. Some days though it is just easier and more effective to call on the big guy in the red suit. Besides, does it this form of parenting ever change. There will always be some variation of it: taking away the car, not being allowed to go out with friends, and keeping them home from a date they have been waiting to go on. It goes on and on and on...

Happy Holidays to you all. If you are in the same boat as me, I send you hopeful vibes. Time for me to go...I have to make a phone call...to Santa!

The Holiday Haze

I broke down today and started putting up Christmas decorations. Stockings went up, some lights around the entrance way to the dining room, and a few Christmas ornaments. I am anxious for the tree to go up as our my plan is to have it up Saturday. Soon "Percy" and "Sheldon" (Our elves of coarse. Percy is named from Thomas the Train and Sheldon is named from Big Bang Theory) will be coming back from the North Pole! I am ready to bake, eat, drink, give and most importantly, to watch little faces light up over the festivities we will be sharing the next month.

In preparation for new toys coming mama did purge some old toys. I love cleaning (really I do!) and have enjoyed watching toys be sold or passed on to other children who could enjoy them. I am tempted to do one more "go through". If it were up to me I would throw them all in large garbage bags, haul them to the dumpster, and start all over. Unfortunately I would have to deal with the repercussions of little boys crying and the thought of any more crying makes me want to pull my hair out!

"Sheldon"

New toys are on the way. More for me to step on. More for the dog to chew up. More for me to take away when Chase isn't behaving. It is Christmas though!  Christmas is not about toys and material things.We all know it is about family, love, giving, and Christ. Yet let's be real here, when you are 4 none of that matters. It's about Santa, elves, toys, and more toys. As their mama I have to admit I do love shopping for them! (Side note here; I generally do not like shopping!) I picture the excitement and since I know what my children like, I know Santa will do a kick ass job when the presents are finally delivered.

Let's fast forward to December 26th: Invasion of the toddler toys. I can see it now... I will wake up and try to make my way to the coffee and stumble on a toy. I will look around and see glitter all over the floor. There will be boxes that need to be put in the recycling. Wrapping paper that has found its way under my furniture. Parents across the world will be exhausted from family gatherings. We will be hung over from the amount of alcohol we needed to consume in order to get us through these festivities. Some of us may decide to just continue to drink throughout the week (yeah, you all know who you are) because New Years Resolutions don't start for another seven days.

The holiday haze, it is worth it! We, as parents, get to live vicariously through our children's joy and excitement. As we are surrounded by friends and family, let's remember how lucky we are that we are sharing these moments with them. Hug a little tighter. Stay a little longer. Laugh a little louder.

Cheers!

The Magic Children Make

Children have a way of making things magical. They have a way of reminding us just how beautiful life is. Those moments we had as children that seemed to come alive with a dash of fairy dust are suddenly no longer a distant memory. This is what the holidays are about. It is love. It is happiness. Hope. Joy. It is the glimmer in their eyes that you see which suddenly lights a fire inside your soul.

Before I had children holidays became a hassle more than something I wanted to take part in. As I became an adult I no longer enjoyed this time. I didn't turn into Scrooge, yet I just didn't care about Thanksgiving or Christmas the way I wanted to. It felt busy and rushed.

Then I had my own children.

Over the past few years I get giddy about the Holidays. I try to engage my oldest son (he will be 4 in January) in festivities around each holiday. He is excited for Halloween this week. We have decals on our windows of ghosts, witches, and pumpkins. Yes, I have allowed my child to desecrate my windows by putting those cheap and rather ugly decals on my windows. He loves them. It makes him smile. That is all the reason I need to let him do it. I am eager for Thanksgiving. Of coarse for the  food I will consume, that is a given Yet more so for the day after when I can pull out the Christmas decorations and start putting some cheer into our house.

We have two Elves that also will make their appearance. This will be "Percy's" third Christmas with us and "Sheldon's" second. I tried to get creative with new hiding places and mischief that the elves would get into when Chase was asleep. Every morning he would go looking for them. I tried to take pictures of the scenarios I created. I had intended to make an album of Elf pictures. That never happened, maybe this year.

Percy & Sheldon got into the blocks.

I love the smell of the Christmas tree. We go and cut our tree down and I have vowed to make this a tradition we do every year. I remember going with my grandfather as a child and doing this. I grew up in a home where we had a fake Christmas tree. Going to get a tree as a family is a new tradition for me just as much as it is for my children. Last year Chase brought along his own "tools" to help cut down the tree.

Another tradition I started was getting a special ornament for my children each year. Chase has picked out his own the past two years. Someday when he has his own place and a family of his own he will have his ornaments to take with him. Or as I like to think of it, tiny treasures to remind him of past Christmas'.

I also want my children to appreciate what we have. To realize that the holidays are about creating memories. About sharing in love and laughter. I want to be sure we donate in some way this year. I try to explain to Chase that we should be thankful for what we have. I do my best to try and be grateful for all I have been given. I want to teach the boys to give to others as much as they want for themselves. Our town is having a mitten tree at our local library. I think this is a great way for us to be a part of helping someone in need. It is a reminder that the holidays are truly about how we give to others, how we treat one another, and how we need to love one another.

This holiday season I hope you all find the magic that lives within you. Share that magic. Laugh from deep in your belly. Share your smile with a stranger. Happiness can be a contagious thing.