Dear Santa Claus,
As you know, Bear believes full heartedly in you. As you also know, I do not. I do not believe because I am the one writing out the check for the credit card bill January thru...well, thru November most likely. I do not believe because, no matter how often I see The Santa Claus with Tim Allen, I still don't believe you can actually squeeze down a chimney. Well, I might be able to believe that but what I don't believe is that no mom could ever sleep through a fat man in a red suit breaking into her house when she had children to protect. No offense, but really, if I woke up in the dead of night to find you crawling through a magic fireplace into my house? I might kill you dead without even checking to see if your beard was real. No, not "might", but WOULD. I have kids you know.
But anyway, the thing is, Bear believes. She wrote you three letters before Christmas even though we've never written to you in the past 8 years. I thought it was cute so I dutifully placed her unstamped and unaddressed (well, except for the "Noth Poll - Santa Claz" in crayon) into our mailbox and then had Chick surrupticiously retrieve it when Bear was otherwise occupied. That way I didn't have to lie when I said, "No Bear, I didn't take your letter - an elf must have!" And also? That way I didn't have to see the crushing disappointment on her freckled face when she checked the mailbox and found her letter still there.
All she wanted was an Easy Bake Oven. I bought it in November and wrapped it as a gift from her dad and I. I paid a stinking $19 for it and was thoroughly disgusted to find in on sale for $10 right before Christmas. Thanks.
But anyway, as you may have noticed, Christmas Eve Day found my husband and I desperately seeking to buy a Christmas gift for Bear because we had decided that if she didn't get that overpriced piece of pink plastic from YOU, she would be devastated. So we had to plan on unwrapping it and leaving it out "from Santa" which meant that we needed to purchase another gift for her from us. She got a new pair of jeans and a pretty blouse. Woot. Please, excuse the sarcasm but honestly - shopping on Christmas Eve Day right after church? Not so much fun.
So, Bear got her Easy Bake Oven (also known as the Eze Bak Ovn in her letters to you) in addition to her stocking this year. And the letter you left her? I quote, "Dear Bear, I believe in you too!" Oh Good Golly Santa... did you see the way her eyes lit up? For that, for the way her eyes lit up and the way her pink rosebud mouth stretched wide in a lopsided grin and the way the flush of excitement made her freckled cheeks glow and set off all her dark hair and dark eyelashes... for all of that I want to thank you. It sure beat the off handed (but unprompted I might add) "thanks mom" and "oh, interesting, thanks dad" from Chick and Buddy as they plowed through their stockings. Bears little face aglow and her firm belief in things you can't see and logic that isn't so warmed my heart more than the hot cocoa with Baileys. And so I just want to say this: I may not believe in you? But I believe in the Magic of Believing in You. You can count on us for as long as possible... and then a little longer.
Much Love,
The D Family
4 comments:
It's hard. I often think of families who can't afford what their children want and wonder what they say to the child.
I have finally gotten it to the point that next year I will tell the girls that Santa brings the stocking stuff and we buy the presents for him.
Every year I get so aggravated that Santa gets the credit for the great stuff that we work so hard for.
Jordan keeps questioning me...she is 8 and has heard things.
It's a weird tradition.....
I'm with you all the way, girlfriend. My 10 yr. old came home from school one day before the winter break all upset because he said he's the only one in class who believes in Santa. I then got the 3rd degree. So I asked him what he believed and he said he believe Santa was real. I told him always believe what's in your heart and you will be fine and I never really answered his question as to if he was real or not.
Who knows what will happen next year....
I saw Santa. I believe in Santa. I consider myself Santa's helper. It's my job to keep the magic alive. :-)
xo
LBC
I bet the magic is there for the older kids, too, it just looks different to you than it used to.
: )
But I know what you mean about a general loss of innocence and wonder and gratitude about what they receive.
I see that with some of my nephes/nieces....but not all.
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