Warning: If you have little ones reading over your shoulder, you may want to have them leave the room now....
Okay sufficient enough warning?
Well it was time for the talk. No, not THAT talk. But the Santa talk, with Alex (who's 9.5).
I think he has just played along for a couple years now, but he wasn't ready to know the truth yet from mom and dad.
It all started while we were in the kitchen, the other brothers weren't listening thankfully, but we were having a hard time coming up with a Santa gift for Alex. He wasn't giving us much ideas this year. So we asked him what he wanted from Santa, and that he could ask for anything (almost anything) because it's Santa and you always ask for the biggest present on your list from Santa. He then answered that he can't, because we can't afford everything. Aaack!
Billy corrected him and said that WE don't buy it...Santa brings it. Alex gave a very peculiar look to Billy. We tried talking to him about Santa first, but Alex wasn't buying it.
He said that kids at school talk. "EVERYONE knows..."
So Billy took Alex for a quick ride around the block to tell him the truth. When they came back Billy told me that Alex started crying. :( Not because he thought it was true and was sad it wasn't, but because Alex said he felt guilty. He felt guilty outing the truth of Santa I guess. He did suspect for awhile now but felt too guilty to ask us about it, because...well it's like Santa! And he didn't want to second guess Santa. haha
That led then to a discussion about what is real vs. what isn't real. (the tooth fairy was outed too) I made sure to explain that while Santa, the tooth fairy, etc was not real that God IS real and he should never doubt that. I explained that Santa is a fun magical thing that parents like to do for their children, because it was done for us in our childhoods and even though we know now that Santa isn't real - it was still a special time for us.
However, I went on to explain, that God is real and Christmas isn't about Santa anyway. I think in the hustle and bustle of Christmas, that we get too far away from the real reason. The lights, the presents, Santa, and the excitement get in the way too much.
This year I bought a stocking for Jesus. I hope that it will help remind the boys about the real reason for Christmas. It's an actual stocking that has Jesus' name on it. It will be hung up with all of our other stockings (we put our stockings up when the tree goes up after Thanksgiving, and they stay up there until Christmas Eve when Billy and I fill them for them to open in the morning with their presents).
However toys will not go in Jesus' stocking, rather the idea is to fill it with good deeds, or promises (written on pieces of paper) to Him that we will/have done. I'm still working on the details, but you get the general idea.
I look forward to starting this tradition, and hope that we can start getting away from the excitement of "Santa" and rather have excitement about what we can give Jesus this Christmas in celebration of His birthday. :)
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6 comments:
I LOVE the Jesus stocking idea! I'll have to remember that for a few years down the road when Andrew is old enough to understand.
Awww Bethany! Too bad about Alex. :( MaShayla still believes so I hope we can still get a couple of more years out of her! I LOVE your jesus stocking idea! I misght have to still it!!
This is a great idea about the Stocking. I may have to use that. I am not looking forward to the Santa talks. I hope I have a few years.
Awww! I think I may have to add a stocking to my pile this year! What a good idea!
Another idea I heard about is making a birthday cake for jesus and having your kids take turns deciding what to decorate it with.
Too funny about the Santa thing! ;)
I remember when I was younger the kids at school all knew (including myself) as well... however I just HAD to argue about everything (is that a word? lol) and blurted out all these scenarios as "evidence" that it was INDEED Santa, e.g. the milk disappearing- oh, that HAD to be him! LOL
That's way cool about the stocking for Jesus. I'll file that one away as an idea for when my kiddos come around ;)
That's a cute story about Alex.
A number of years ago my parents started a tradition that I still do because it's had a lot of meaning for me, and your stocking for Jesus idea made me think of it.
Every year we would write a letter to Jesus, which eventually turned into a Christmas Card for Jesus. I usually outline what I'm going to give to the Lord for the whole year, and we do this on Christmas Eve, and we leave the envelopes under the tree until New Year's. The last few year's I've hung my card near my desk as a reminder through the whole year of what I'm working on for the Lord. It's been a great blessing in my life.
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