This is the first year we’ve really celebrated Christmas. Oh, we’ve had Christmas-day presents in the past. We’ve gone to Pop-pop’s every year for yummy food and gifts. But this year, we wrote to Santa, we sat on his lap at Zoo Lights, we read books about how to catch him. In short, we were invested. Here’s what we learned…
Santa only comes when you are asleep. This, to us, was a bit of a sneaky move. We set up string traps in strategic locations throughout the house. If we were asleep, how could we know our gambit worked? More importantly, how could we grill him about the ins-and-outs of the holiday? (Once inside the house, how do you get out? Do your reindeers fly all year, or just on December 25th? Are you real?) But, in the interest of expediency (read: to get our presents), we accepted this preposterous condition and closed our eyes and went to sleep, waiting for the jolly fat man to tromp through our home.
Leading up to the 25th, we did our due diligence. We learned that Santa only visits the homes of children who’ve been good all year. (When faced with the choice of checking the naughty or nice box on a form letter, Tessa said, “Mama, I’m gonna lie to Santa.”) We watched the television shows designed to teach us the most about how Santa arrives to deliver presents. (Riley believed that without a star at the top of our tree, which is an in-ground tree outside, Santa wouldn’t come. So we bought a gold star.) We read books and we colored pictures and we wrote letters. Mom and Dad told us how Santa’s elves bring each of us a stocking stuffed with small toys and hangs it from our beds. Overall, we were prepared.
This coming on the heels of Emmett’s birthday and Hanukkah… We are not hurting for gifts. Emmett’s party was wonderful. It was a small celebration and full of Star Wars. Both things that the Big Pig enjoys. Mom got him a Han Solo trapped in Carbonite Cake, just like he asked for. And he got books and Cosmos-related games and presents. Perfect. For Hanukkah, we got lots of Hot Wheel cars and a racetrack, all of which have provided hours of fun (we are not exaggerating). We got a slew of My Little Ponys, books, and Star Wars vehicles and figures. So, to think that after all of this we were going to receive more presents? Well, it was starting to seem like a bit much.
At which point, Mom and Dad agreed. So starting next year, we will each research and pick out a charity to donate to, instead of asking for Hanukkah gifts and instead of such a large Christmas haul. This year, we learned that not all kids have warm homes, food for their bellies, or a loving Pig Pile. It surprised us. We want to help the small kids who don’t have what we have. We want to share with them. We want them to know and to be loved.
But this year… We were excited to participate in the pageantry of the Christmas holiday. So, the night before, we went on a holiday-lights drive, singing Christmas carols and eating chips (don’t ask). Then, before the sun had risen completely, we jumped on Mom and Dad’s bed, announcing that there were, indeed, stockings in everyone’s room. And, what’s more, there were presents downstairs along with a note from Santa thanking us for the cookies and for carrots for his reindeers. Amazing. Somehow, that fat, fat man had gotten down our chimney and back out again without tracking so much as one iota of dirt on the carpet. And he’d even tip-toed upstairs into our bedrooms to hang stockings on our beds! Kudos, Santa.
Our gifts this year had a decidedly science-y and craft-y feel. Yarn and a loom for T-bone. An entire fleet of cars and planes for Baby. Straw airplanes and a geode kit for Pie-pie. Nasa flash cards and science tricks for Emmett. (When Mom held up one of the Space flash cards and asked Emmett what it was, he barely glanced up from Dad’s new Lego Vampire Castle saying, “A butterfly nebula.” And he was RIGHT!)
Some presents broke from those themes. Riley got a joke book to flesh out his thin cadre of jokes. (“Mommy, how does the Christmas cat climb up the chimney? With her Santa-claws!”) Tessa got some jewelry. Emmett’s still waiting for his Lego Millennium Falcon. (Don’t ask.) And Baby got a ton of chocolate (he loves that stuff more than Daddy does!) and a new fuzzy robe.
So far, so good. We head to Pop-pop’s in a bit for Christmas Day Part Two. Is it too much? Perhaps. Will we do ALL of this again next year? No. But we know for sure how well we have it, and we will be looking forward to sharing that with the less fortunate come this time next year. Count on it.
Be well (and merry),
The Pigs
Leave a Reply