Our “Splendiferous” Christmas

The title of Em’s new Fancy Nancy book is a very apt way to describe our Christmas this year – Splendiferous!  We spent Christmas Eve baking cookies and  tracking Santa’s progress via Norad.  Then we read Twas the Night Before Christmas and hustled ourselves off to bed to make way for Santa, who left everyone  just what they wanted.  After opening gifts, Mommy and Daddy got the best one of all – nice long afternoon naps!  We enjoyed our traditional Beef Wellington for dinner (like butter!), and wrapped up the evening with a little Christmas dancing.

The next morning I tested my omelette-making skills courtesy of my prize gift from Phil – Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  They were BY FAR the best omelettes I’ve ever made (Mushroom & Gruyère – yum!).  All hail Julia!  In order to burn those calories, we hit the sledding hill to test drive the new sleds the kids got from Grandma.  Then we came home, sipped hot chocolate by the fire, sighed contentedly.  If only it didn’t go by so fast!  Here is a little photo essay of our three perfect days.

Baking Cookies for Santa

Setting out Santa's Snack

Not a creature was stirring...

Santa's generosity

A dolly for Em

A toy boat for Jay

Pictures for Grandma

Just one creature was snoring...

Beef Wellington for Dinner

End of Christmas Dance

Taking the new sled for a test drive

Watch out!

Crash!

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There with Care

Today it was Em’s turn to visit Santa, but under different circumstances.  She and I went to a cookie decorating party at the Chautauqua Park Meeting House to benefit There With Care, an organization that provides assistance to critically ill children and their families in the Boulder/Denver area.  For a small donation, children got to decorate four cookies (graciously donated by Icebox Bakery), listen to holiday carolers and sit on Santa’s lap.

After decorating the cookies and spilling her wishlist to Santa, Em went to the craft table to make an ornament.  It was then that I noticed the board listing the children that were to benefit from the proceeds of the event.  There were about 25 of them, and they ranged in age from 3 months to 13 years old.  Em chose to make her ornament for a three-year old girl named Aka, and wrote, “Merry Christmas.  Feel Better.  Love your friend, Em” on the ornament.  Luckily it was time for us to leave after she was finished.  I was prepared to go to the event and feel good about contributing to such a worthy cause.  Instead, seeing actual names and ages of children made it so real to me that I felt like I had to run for cover.

I wanted to come home, scoop up my children and place them in a hermetically sealed protective bubble so nothing bad can ever happen to them.  Of course I know this is not possible.  I also know, from experience, that sometimes the worst things that happen to you turn out to be the best things, given time.  Before I became a mother, I never understood that it would be more difficult to watch my children suffer and experience heartbreak than it was to endure it myself.  That’s why it’s almost unimaginable to me what the parents of these ill children must confront, with courage and compassion, every day of their lives.

I also know: there is nothing I want for Christmas that hasn’t already been given to me.

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The Good List

My mom and I took Jay to see Santa at the community square in town today while Em was at a birthday party.  I thought he might crack at the last minute, but he walked right up and jumped on Santa’s lap as if they had been beer buddies in a previous life.  They had a cozy little chat.

Santa: “Ho, ho, ho – hi there Jay.”

Jay: “Hi!” (Pause for pictures)

Santa: “Well Jay, what do you want for Christmas?”

Jay: “A BIG toy boat.”

Santa: “Well what a coincidence, the elves just finished up all the boats last week.  You’ve been a good boy this year?”

(Wherein Jay looks him square in the eye and says, “Yes!!” without a moment’s hesitation)

Santa: “I’m sure you have.  You keep it up and have a Merry Christmas.”

Jay then reluctantly gets down from Santa’s lap, but stands right in front of him, blocking the next child from coming forward.  He waits until he has Santa’s attention again and says, “I’m really nice.”

It’s always good to reinforce your message.

This short visit then launches the following discussion in the car after he all but refused to eat his lunch.

Jay: “Santa said I’m on The Good List.”

Me: “Yes, but you need to stay on The Good List by continuing to be good.

Jay: “I’m not on The Bad List, right?”

Me: “No, I don’t think so.”

Jay: “What does ‘I don’t think so’ mean?”

Me: “It means I believe you’re on The Good List and not on The Bad List.”

Jay: “I’m not on The Bad List.”

Me: “I’m sure you’re not on The Bad List.”

Jay: “I’m not on The Bad List. I’m on The Good List. Right Mommy?”

Me: “I’m not Santa, Jay.  Only Santa can decide who’s on The Good List.”

Jay: “I’m on The Good List.  I’m not on The Bad List Mommy!”

Me: “I’m sure you’re right Jay.  You have been a good boy this year.”

Jay: “I’m on The Good List.”

If you want to know how the rest of the conversation went, just repeat this whole dialog sequence approximately 100 times.

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