Ok, so this is ridiculously late. I usually post about Christmas every year and my kids love looking back through every Christmas Past. I had a Christmas 2020 post in my head, but it never seemed to make it on to paper until now. With Christmas 2021 approaching maybe it will help us all get into the Christmas Spirit.
Gus and I made the unconventional choice when our kids were young not to pretend that Santa Claus was real. We had our idealistic parenting reasons, but like most idealistic parenting choices, they do not always work out in practice the way you had planned. Not pretending about Santa Claus went off without a hitch with my two oldest children, but Ada had other ideas. Ada was determined to believe in Santa Claus and when Ada is determined ....well good luck getting in her way.
The whole problem started when we visited the library (terrible parenting choice right there) and they had a fun program running where kids could write letters to Santa. Ada, at this point, was already declaring to whomever would listen that Santa was real. I am not a total beast. When she would ask me if Santa was real I would tell her "I do not believe in Santa, but you can make your own choice." Ada would then tell me resolutely that Santa WAS real. Max would say, "Ada, look at the evidence" and then regale the poor child with loads of logic which Ada stoutly ignored. "Santa is magic!" she would retort. And so Ada was delighted when she discovered that she could write a letter to Santa at the library.
"If he responds, mom, I will know he is real, because this is the library and you can't just pretend to respond for him."
So she and Darwyn both wrote letters and, low and behold, Santa did indeed respond. Ada waved her letter with glee and made everyone in the house read it to her over and over. Santa updated Ada on the north pole, politely suggested some books she might like and then told her that because of covid, he would not becoming inside this year. "Please leave cookies and carrots outside for my reindeer and I to eat."
With solid proof in her hand, Ada was now convinced that (a) Santa was real and (b) we absolutely must put out a carrot and cookies on our front step on Christmas Eve. "And," she added, "Santa always knows what you want more than anything else and he gives it to you for Christmas."
Now I am beginning to feel manipulated. It is a humbling feeling to realize that you are not intelligent enough to outsmart your 5 year old daughter. But I know defeat when I see it.
I never planned to pretend I was Santa, but I can't bear the thought of her checking for presents in the morning and finding nothing. Here in the issue lies: every present I bought her has been under the tree for weeks. I did not plan any other gift and Christmas is tomorrow. Ada has put her cookies and a carrot outside (in a Tupperware after I positively assured her that Santa was smart enough to find them anyway).
The only thing not under the tree are 3 jars of pickles. My children love pickles and beg for their own jars. This year I bought some when I did my Christmas food shop and I had not yet wrapped them. So pickles it is. I go outside and steal back the cookies and frozen limp carrot and replace them on the front step with 3 wrapped bags, labelled Max, Darwyn and Ada.
The next morning Ada races into the living room bright and early. The very first thing she does is remember her cookies and carrot. I think she half expects them to still be sitting there as she pads down the front stairs to the door. When she opens the door and sees the snow dusted presents, her whole face lights up with glee. "I told you! See I told you!" she exclaims, jumping up and down. The other kids rush to see and each grabs a present and brings it to the living room.
Before the three of them go to open their presents, Ada reminds them that "Santa always gets you what you want most!" She rips into her bag and emerges from a flurry of wrapping with ... a jar of pickles. "Its a jar of pickles," she says. I hold my breath. Max and Darwyn whoop with delight. They are truly excited to have their very own jar of pickles. Ada stares at her jar, at first perplexed, and then she seems to decide something. She looks solemnly up at me, "Santa knew that I really wanted pickles more than anything else," she assures me and goes to eat her first pickle.
Christmas 2020 in photos and videos:
