With less than one week before Christmas, it's safe to say, ready or not, here it comes! Christmas and the new year on on the horizon and they are coming no matter what.
I made a very concentrated effort this year to not shop. I didn't want to go into shops or the mall as like most people do, I felt like giving what I want to get; enjoyable experiences. I saw this with Mason when he decorated his cookies to give his school bus drivers, teacher, and principal -- he loaded them up with icing, tons of it, just the way he likes to eat them! It made me smile to see him so proud of giving what he made. Beautiful Christmas cookies are only one of our holiday traditions.
Another is visiting Santa! At the ripe old age of seven, Mason is questioning his belief in the mythical characters of Christmas. The doubt started with the fairies that bring little treats each day to the Advent calendar. Mason informed me on Friday that he believed I was the fairy who put the treats in the boxes. "Really? Why do you think that?" I asked. "Because I see that you put foil wrapped snowmen in the gift basket for Ms. Morris (his teacher) and those are the same snowmen I got two days ago in my *opit day." He said firmly. Uh-oh I thought as I came back with a very quick and clever reply. "Oh Mason, that's silly. Just because we have something the same doesn't mean the fairies don't exist. Do you think that if Santa brings Legos and you can also buy them at the store that that means Santa isn't real?" Silence. I waited hoping that I'd stalled the inevitable when Mason said, "Good point. I'm gonna be keeping my eye on those opit day fairies but Santa's real, oh yeah, Santa's real!" Now Mason still believes in Santa but he will be the first one to tell you the Santa in the mall is not the real one. Mason is well aware that the man in the mall is a helper, an agent if you will of the big man himself -- legitimate enough to share his list with for sure.
Before we wrap up the gift that is the Monday Motivator before Christmas 2010, let me share with you a budding optimists view of naughty and nice and what could land in your stocking Christmas morning. Like all parents this time of year, Dave and I leverage the, "You better be good. Santa can see you and if you're naughty, you just might find a lump of coal in your stocking." This year, Mason quipped, "Well, I don't really want coal but if I got a lump, I could burn it in the stove and it would keep us warm. Did you guys know you can burn coal to keep warm?" He asked. What do you say to that? I just smiled, feeling very proud that we are raising a thinking and optimistic young man!
Merry Christmas friends, you are loved and appreciated!
I made a very concentrated effort this year to not shop. I didn't want to go into shops or the mall as like most people do, I felt like giving what I want to get; enjoyable experiences. I saw this with Mason when he decorated his cookies to give his school bus drivers, teacher, and principal -- he loaded them up with icing, tons of it, just the way he likes to eat them! It made me smile to see him so proud of giving what he made. Beautiful Christmas cookies are only one of our holiday traditions.
Another is visiting Santa! At the ripe old age of seven, Mason is questioning his belief in the mythical characters of Christmas. The doubt started with the fairies that bring little treats each day to the Advent calendar. Mason informed me on Friday that he believed I was the fairy who put the treats in the boxes. "Really? Why do you think that?" I asked. "Because I see that you put foil wrapped snowmen in the gift basket for Ms. Morris (his teacher) and those are the same snowmen I got two days ago in my *opit day." He said firmly. Uh-oh I thought as I came back with a very quick and clever reply. "Oh Mason, that's silly. Just because we have something the same doesn't mean the fairies don't exist. Do you think that if Santa brings Legos and you can also buy them at the store that that means Santa isn't real?" Silence. I waited hoping that I'd stalled the inevitable when Mason said, "Good point. I'm gonna be keeping my eye on those opit day fairies but Santa's real, oh yeah, Santa's real!" Now Mason still believes in Santa but he will be the first one to tell you the Santa in the mall is not the real one. Mason is well aware that the man in the mall is a helper, an agent if you will of the big man himself -- legitimate enough to share his list with for sure.
Before we wrap up the gift that is the Monday Motivator before Christmas 2010, let me share with you a budding optimists view of naughty and nice and what could land in your stocking Christmas morning. Like all parents this time of year, Dave and I leverage the, "You better be good. Santa can see you and if you're naughty, you just might find a lump of coal in your stocking." This year, Mason quipped, "Well, I don't really want coal but if I got a lump, I could burn it in the stove and it would keep us warm. Did you guys know you can burn coal to keep warm?" He asked. What do you say to that? I just smiled, feeling very proud that we are raising a thinking and optimistic young man!Merry Christmas friends, you are loved and appreciated!
* Opit Day -- When Mason was just learning to talk, we would talk about his Advent calendar and say, "Oh, we have to open the next day!" He caught on very quickly and began to say, "Opit Daaaayyy. Opit Daaayyyy" pointing to the calendar. It stuck and now Advent calendars in our family are referred to as "Opit Days."
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