Christmas 2020 - Santa vs. Ada

 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:

Pandemic Halloween (2020) and still pandemic Halloween (2021)

 I realized that I did not post anything for Halloween last year, so I decided to combine it with this years post.  Halloween this year was uneventful.  The highlight was Gus's costume box special  and maple the hotdog  (see photos below).  

Honestly, I am surprised I did not write about last years Halloween as it was much more amusing.  It was a very quiet Halloween because of the pandemic, but fun, as many household had come up with new and innovative ways to give out candy including extensive shoots and lowering candy from second story windows.  

My favorite story favorite story from last Halloween happened during candy trading. Every year after trick-or-treating the kids dump all their candy on the living room floor and engage in extensive negotiations over who should exchange what for what.  In once such exchange Max traded Darwyn a fun dip (which neither of them had ever seen before).  Darwyn got a good deal because no one knew what a Fun dip was.  

Darwyn to Ted:  What's this?

Ted:  A Fun Dip!  That's a classic!

Darwyn: (Gaining enthusiasm)  Oh!  Do they taste good?

Ted: Not particularly, it is more about the experience.

Ted goes on to explain how to eat a Fun Dip.  All the kids listen with growing enthusiasm.  After that trading resumes and Max has to trade to get his fun dip back, only now the going rate is 4:1.  Oops!  I guess marketing works. 

Darwyn's 2021 pumpkin

Ada's 2021 pumpkin

Mom's 2021 pumpkin on behalf of Max

Gus's costume box surprise

Ada 2021

Darwyn and Ada 2020

Max 2020

Ada's Pandemic views

 At bedtime the other night we were discussing yet another thing we couldn't do because of the pandemic.  

Ada looked sadly up at me and said "Mom, COVID has had too long of a turn."  

Amen.  That is a message I think I might print on a mask!

Mad about boxes

I came in to the kids bedroom awhile ago to Max and Darwyn embroiled in a heated argument.  Darwyn had acquired a box and Max was fighting for his right to it.  The whole fight struck me as a little odd.  The girls love boxes.  They offer no end of craft opportunities.  But Max, who isn't much into crafts, hasn't shown much interest in boxes in awhile.  

Surprised by this, I asked "Why do you want a box anyway, Max?"

"I want to sleep with it."

"Sorry?"

"I want to sleep with it."

"You want to sleep with it..." I said slowly.  

"Yes," Max replied evenly.

I know boxes are supposed to be the toy where your imagination is the limit, but they never struck me as particularly cuddly.  Max explained to me that he wanted to sleep in the box, which was only a minor improvement.  He already sleeps in a claustrophobic bunk bed with a roof so low he can't sit up, but apparently it is too spacious.  He and Darwyn decided that he could have the next two boxes if she got this one.

Unfortunately for Max the next box that arrived was rather small.  It was just barely large enough to fit his head, and shallow enough that it was more of a hat than a house.  But he was not to be deterred.  He insisted that this was his box.  Ada, who had not been in on the previous bargin, felt she should have a turn with the box.  What's more, she felt that sleeping with a box was just about the best idea anyone had ever had.  Even a box that was more of a hat.  After further lengthy negotiation they agreed that they would take turns sleeping with the box.  

Can you spot Max sleeping in his box?

Max got the first turn and took the box to bed.  He set it up at the top of his bed and slept with the top 1/4 of his head inside.  Ada and Darwyn found this inadequate.  Ada resorted to sleeping with the box beside her as a cuddle toy.  When I came in to wake up Darwyn on the third morning she was fast asleep on her back with the box perched precariously on her abdomen.  I wish I had thought to grab my camera.  

For the following 2 weeks the kids took turns sleeping with the box until it was so destroyed it was (apparently) not even adequate for sleeping with.  

Darwyn meets The Hobbit

I just finished reading The Hobbit with Max and Darwyn.  Max and I first read the book together back in 2014 and I wrote about it then.  This is the first time Darwyn's heard the story.  They both loved it.

Our favourite chapter is Riddles in the Dark, wherein Bilbo discovers the ring.  Darwyn loves Gollum and was bouncing off the walls that night.  She took the book to bed and reread all the riddles.  She posed the riddles to her friends at school the next day.  She made new riddles of her own.

Building on our success with The Hobbit, we've decided to start The Lord of the Rings.  I've warned Darwyn that these books are much longer and slower-paced.  We'll see how it goes.  We finished chapter 1.  Bilbo's birthday party had twelve dozen guests.  I asked Darwyn how many guests that is and she computed the answer all by herself in her head.

Ada's first thoughts on government

 Max has been learning about rights and freedoms at school.  At dinner one night he went on a rant about freedom of speech.  

Max:  I want to know why kids don't have freedom of speech at school!  We aren't allowed to express our opinions.

Greta:  Well, I think you can if you do so respectfully.  There is a difference between freedom of speech and slander.

Gus:  Yes, freedom of speech is more like not being able to express your views about a bad government.

Through this conversation Ada was eating her dinner and largely ignoring what we were saying.  At the mention of the word government she perked right up.

Ada: Yes!  Government!  What I want to know is why the government is giving everybody else money, but nobody is giving me any money!

She wasn't pleased when we all started laughing.  Not sure where she got the idea that the government was giving us all money (maybe CERB?), but I might have to quote her on a T-shirt.

Democracy

 Max is studying political systems in class.  Today Max was telling me about democracy. 

Max:  Mom, I want to know why our classroom is not a democracy.  

Me:  That is a good question.  Perhaps you should ask your teacher that question.  In all honesty, Max, there are conditions under which a democracy doesn't work very well.

Max:  Yeah, like when you don't have an odd number of people.