Christmas has been different this year in the Chitwood Rivers household.
Kaia sometime in the spring of this year had asked for the umpteenth time if Santa was real after hearing rumors yet again in the schoolyard contrary to what she has always thought. By force of habit, I pulled out the trusty response that has gotten me through that question without feeling as though I’m outright lying, “what do YOU believe?”
Sensing less conviction in her response, I thought this is it. It’s time. I hadn’t prepared for this moment, but instinctively I felt the conversation was imminent. So, I asked her, “do you REALLY want to know?” She said, “am I going to like it?” And this is what came out, “I think so. Because it’s a great responsibility: knowing. And, I think you’re ready. Are you ready?” With her eyes like saucers she eagerly nodded her head. “Now YOU get to be Santa. It’s up to you to keep the secret and the magic alive. You get to spread cheer and give gifts.” It was like someone gave her a magic wand. She was thrilled to be in on it, and, of course, realizing that she gets to eat the cookies on Christmas Eve was a major bonus.
She has really run with it and to my surprise, Christmas has been even more magical so far with her help and excitement. She has taken over hiding Frisbee, our elf, which in and of itself has been worth bringing her into the fold.
Meanwhile, Mason believes more than ever and has not asked once whether Santa is real.. ever. Furthermore, he has taken to leaving notes for Frisbee to take back to the North Pole to Santa or with questions to sate his curiosity about how all this happens.
I popped up in bed this morning at 6am realizing that we had all forgotten Frisbee last night and scurried out to move him before Mason came looking. This day he also came with a list of questions to be answered by the authority in the North Pole:
* How old is Santa?
* What does Santa look like?
* What does Santa do on his breaks?
Of course, I turned to the omniscient Google and over coffee I got a history lesson. Here’s what I learned.
First off, Santa Claus is a REAL PERSON. Mind blown. I had no idea.
* Santa is 1,746 years old. He was an orphan raised by his uncle, and had frequents bouts with the law, even beating up another bishop. Bad Santa. However his good deeds earned him the title of St. Nick and he is remembered for the good stuff he did in life.
* They exhumed his body to learn more about him and using some pretty interesting processes came up with the sketch seen in the attached photo. (Mason says he looks like Leonardo da Vinci.)
* Santa continues his charity throughout the year and represents good on earth. He takes a summer vacation in June and starts his preparations for Christmas in July.
This parenting thing is the greatest education I have ever received. No matter which child’s lens I happen to be looking through at the moment, I am just in awe.
