On the 5th Day of Christmas (+ Why Santa WILL be Visiting Our House this Year)

Song of the Day:

It was hard to choose from the Jackson 5 Christmas songs, but this one won in the end.  I think it's so cute, and it gets me in the spirit.

Speaking of Santa, a few weeks ago our rec center offered free Santa pics to members. We didn't really plan to get any made (because I assumed they'd try to get you to buy a package), but all that changed when my kid saw another kid come into the nursery with a candy cane.  She HAD to see Santa now - he had CANDY CANES.

So we went on over to the room where Santa was.  She never really got excited when she saw him. It was more like, "Oh yeah, hey, Santa...," while scanning the room looking for goodies.  After they'd taken the pic and Santa finally asked her what she wanted for Christmas, her answer was simple:  A CANDY CANE.

Well, there you go.

So she got her little candy cane, said our thanks, and we headed our merry little way.

They had a free Christmas card for us later that week with the picture on it.  (It turns out they just wanted to do something nice for their members - we were never asked to purchase anything.)  This isn't the actual picture, but the one I snapped on my phone that day.  I think it's adorable.

And while we're talking about Santa, let me tell you how he has officially become a part of our Christmas.

Last year I was undecided on how I wanted to do "Santa" in my house.  Don't get me wrong -- I've never been anti-Santa.   In fact, I believed in Santa my whole childhood (probably longer than most kids) and I remember the feeling I'd get during Christmas.  But up until a little while ago, I wasn't 100% sure I'd make Santa any more than what M saw him as -- a character with no more weight than, say, a Disney princess.  She/we had never associated him with presents.

Well, thanks to her being a little older and more aware of her surroundings, that has changed.  She's told me several times now that Santa is leaving presents at our house for Christmas this year.  We've never told her that, but at four years old, I guess you figure it out. 

So it's settled -- Santa IS coming to our house this year, and will be for several years now.  Honestly, it makes me kinda giddy that I get to relive these holiday miracles through my own child(ren).

Hope everyone's having a good week.

~ G