I'm not a big Santa fan. It's nothing personal or even anything I feel strongly about, I just don't want Santa in my house. For me, decorating the house for Christmas means putting up my collection of nativity scenes. This year they filled the mantle, the bookshelves, the walls, and every available surface. There just isn't any room left for Santa decorations, which is good because I don't own any.
My Christmas shopping is all done. All the presents are already wrapped and under the tree. Santa does not bring presents to our house, and you will not find any presents from Santa under our tree.
I have never really talked to my three-year-old about Santa. We just don't bring him up. We don't watch T.V. and I'm very particular about the movies we watch. We sing Christmas Carols during December, and I love those songs so much we never branch out to things like Rudolph the Red-Nosed-Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman. Eventually I would like to branch out and read and watch The Grinch, but so far, we haven't had anything to do with that. Christmas is about Christ. Ash knows and loves the story of Baby Jesus. Right now, that is perfect. That is what I want.
Last week was Drek's company's Christmas Party. His company is still small enough (and nice enough) that it buys a present for each one of the employees' children. Last year, Santa came to give out these presents. Ash had no idea what was going on. This year, they had Santa AND Frosty the Snowman come deliver the presents. This was the reaction:
Me: "Look! It's Santa!"
Ash: "Huh"
Me: "...and Frosty the Snowman? What the...?"
Ash: "LOOK! FROSTY THE SNOWMAN! IT'S FROSTY THE SNOWMAN! LOOK! LOOK, MOMMY, FROSTY THE SNOWMAN! HE'S HERE!!!!!!!!!"
I have no idea how she knows about Frosty the Snowman. NO IDEA. But she was thrilled. Frosty gave her a high-five and in return she gave him a hug. None of that for Santa, though. Basically, when he called her name, she took her present and ran.
Last night was our ward's Christmas Party. Santa came so the kids could take pictures with him, sit on his lap and get a candy cane. When he walked in (without Frosty the Snowman) I expected Ash not to care. Instead, she jumped up and down.
"Santa! Santa's here to bring me a present! Hooray!"
Oh, no. See, this is possibly why we were avoiding anything Santa in the first place. She didn't really understand why Santa didn't bring her a present, but she did love that candy cane.
Looks like it's time for her to pick out toys to give to needy children!
So what are you going to tell her about Santa? Cuz once she starts school you probably don't want her telling all the other kids that Santa isn't real because he doesn't come to her house!
ReplyDeleteLast year was Toby's first Santa year and this year he knew who Santa was. It's been interesting. So now she knows who Santa is, and what he does, she will never forget it. Dun dun dun.
ReplyDeletePS we're hoping Toby just catches on (like Nate did, when he was 4) that Santa isn't real, without us having to say anything. My mom is livid that we are doing that. I wanted it to be like what you have, and it was for the first 2 years, but srsly. You are lucky you have no meddling family members within the region.
ReplyDeleteNow that Santa has been brought up...here's what we did: We told our kids from the beginning that Santa was a fun tradition the world has. We did stockings from "Santa" and let them help when they were old enough. We told the family story about how my Grandpa parked at the lane dressed as Santa and the dog wouldn't let him out of the car, so he had to drive on up to the house and of course the kids recognized his car. So Santa was good fun, but the gifts come from Momm and Dad, and from anyone else who sends them.
ReplyDeleteAnd we told them Jesus is real. And with all of that, Tres chose to believe in Santa. At age 5 or so, he said, "I know all that, and I am going to believe in Santa anyway." I guess the kid just needed some magic in his life.
I guess Santa can be whatever you want him to be...the Spirit of Christmas...Secret Santas...love, willingness to give instead of just get...that was our approach as much as we could. Something so prevalent is hard to ignore.
To this day I don't know the story of Frosty; isn't that the ice cream at Wendy's?
Giggle giggle. Yes. Yes it is. I think the story came from the song? But there is also a movie I've never seen, so i can't tell you about that. I think if she's going to watch a Christmas movie full of snow, she should watch Narnia.
ReplyDeleteWe never talked about Santa. Lucy figured out he wasn't "real" around age 5. She told lots of kids at school he wasn't "real", because that's how she is. It turns out, kids will believe it because they want to (if they want to) - even when someone says he isn't real. So I don't think it ruins it for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI knew people in Idaho Falls who would even go so far as to create reindeer "footprints" in their driveway and sleigh marks. Now, if I ruined it for those people, so be it ;)
Ooh, I love Narnia! The books, the movie, the amateur children's play I saw once, they bring it to life in so many ways.
ReplyDelete(Frosty is the story of a snowman and a magical hat that brings him to life for a bunch of sad kids who needed a friend. He plays with them and makes everything better--kinda like Mary Poppins meets Barney--then when the sun comes up he either melts or runs away over the snowy hills to return next year.)
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who swore she saw Santa swoosh up the chimney when we were kids. She doesn't say that anymore.
I have no idea how long I believed in Santa, if I believed. I like believing in the unbelievable though, so I suspect I bought into Santa for quite a while.
I also figured out that believing in Santa means an extra gift at Christmas. I might have milked that a tinsy bit.
I am super impressed with how you are handling things with Ash. I have no idea what I would have done in that situation, but I like your ideas!