My Children Made me This Way

Solstice is over but tonight is the absolute longest night for the Monsters. They have been bouncing all day, they have been threatening each others behavior with Santa and the naughty/nice list.  It’s hard to find things to occupy minds and hands that are already caught up in day dreams of what tomorrow will bring. They are already lost in the excitement.

At the moment they have popcorn and are watching The Santa Clause 2 and we are tracking Santa online with Norad . After the movie we will do cookies and milk for Santa, brush teeth,  and then they will get tucked in. About 16 times. It will take everyone forever to fall asleep tonight. (even me)

I love watching them on days like today when they are bright eyed and pink cheeked with anticipation. It is one of those things that makes me smile and is the best thing about being a mom.

So Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.

13 years ago I got Santa back. The 19^th of April there was a whole world of whimsy handed to me along with a tiny baby girl and Santa Clause was one of those things. The jolly man in the red suit had come to see me last when I 11, and the next year thanks to some classmates he was no more. That Christmas I wanted my parents to prove me wrong when I announced that I knew all about Santa. I wanted them to tell me he was real and my classmates where mistaken. But they didn’t, and Christmas changed for me, it lost some of its shine.

D was born and in December there was Santa in his red suit trimmed all in white fur, reindeer flew against a starry backdrop, and there was magic once more. All that had been lost was brought back into the world with my daughter that year. Stories I hadn’t heard in years where retold. The Santa plate was dug out, and the big mug for milk. My husband and I melded traditions from his family, with traditions from mine and we started a few of our own. The bits of magic that make you giddy as you count the days returned and the shine came back to Christmas.

Today some of that shine dimmed. D lost Santa today. Classmates spoke the words and she came to me with that look that said she didn’t want it to be true. The question was asked in a tone that said she wanted her friends to be wrong. But she knew. You could see it there in her eyes even as she asked. And once you know you can’t unknown it, no matter how badly you want to so I told her the truth. She gave this half smile and nodded. She promised to help keep Santa for her younger siblings and then she wandered off to her room.

I went off to my room too, and I mourned that loss. Santa flickered in my house, he lost some of his shine and he has begun to fade. There are still three to keep him real for a few more years and that means we will have the magic for a time still, but it has begun. The one who brought him back to us has lost him and that will make this Christmas’ magic just a little bittersweet.

It is exactly a week till Christmas. Seven days. And this is the most glorious week of the year. You see this is the week the Monster exhibit their best behavior. This is the week that in their minds is of the utmost importance because every bad thing they have done the other 358 days can be reversed in the eyes of Santa during what I like to refer to as Redemption Week.

Please and thank you will are tossed about with out reminders, and even offered to one another.

Homework is done as soon as they get home and without asking.

Meals are eaten without a single ‘Yuck’ or “EEeww’ uttered. They will even use napkins and that those table manners I thought went in one ear and out the other.

There is no running, ball throwing, or tag being played in the house and not once is it because I had to threaten them.

Lights get turned off. Dishes find the sink. Towels and coats both are hung up. Shoes and clothes are put away. Neatly even. I can even see bedroom floors.

Arguments between siblings are short and quiet. As though they are hoping that the volume and duration will keep possible negativity to a minimum.

They show a mastery of inside voices that brings tears to my eyes.

Bed times are not only be observed they are brought to my attention five minutes ahead of time. Faces are be washed, teeth are brushed and they call sweetly for tucking in.

There really are so many reasons to love this time of year.