It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

This Christmas has the potential to be a lot of things. Financially, it is a bit trickier this year than in years past, and the dynamics in our family have been changing over the last year. Change is typically a challenge, but the holidays seem to magnify everything--both the good and the not so much. 

Thanksgiving was a trial run, so to speak, and worked out well. Probably because it was just like every other year. Exactly. Well, we had different dessert, but that's not what I mean. At the end of Thanksgiving weekend, I put the house back together, got ready for Monday, and plopped myself down with a huge sigh of relief. We made it through the entire weekend--massive cooking projects, lots of family get-togethers, one big tamale making party, and waiting for the high heel to drop. 

It didn't. 

Enter Christmas Holiday Season.

I've been trying to think of a way to frame this Christmas so it's about being grateful for how fortunate we are instead of how we wish things were different because that's one bad rabbit hole I'm not interested in visiting! Anticipating the potential disappointment, I wondered how I could tangibly show my kids that Christmas was NOT about how much loot they scored. We were shopping for their dad when the Christmas tree light bulb switched on above my head.....

We did a U-turn at Northpark and headed right past Build-a-Bear and the LEGO Store for the Angel Tree. We sat there for a minute looking at all of the cards on the tree. I told them that each one of those cards was one kid's list of things they would like to have for Christmas, and it was most likely the only gifts they would get. I told them to find the list of a child their age. They found Cornelius and Sandra, and we became their angels.

Cornelius wanted a fire truck and needed a coat. Sandra needed shoes and wanted hair accessories. I told the kids that we'd have to get less from each other, but that these kids really needed these things so it was OK with me. They agreed, and we hit the mall!

My son picked out a coat that "looked cool" and would still keep him warm. As an expert on trains, my son chose a play set that included a fire station and track with the fire engine. He also chose a pair of jeans, socks, and a sweater--green, his favorite color. He also wanted to give Cornelius some FARP, but I told him that Cornelius's mom probably liked FARP about as much as I do. No FARP. 

My daughter took much longer to decide what Sandra should receive. See, as an almost 9-year-old young lady, apparently it's impossible to purchase hair accessories without a particular outfit in mind. Sandra got a sassy pair of skinny jeans and a leopard belt. She will be walking the catwalk in her new knock-off Uggs, puffy vest, and two shirts. Of course there are hair accessories to kick it up a notch and could be worn somewhere boring like school or to a "dance or something." My daughter put the outfits together and was proud of them. Then I watched her face change. She asked if Sandra had a mom and dad or brothers and sisters. She asked if they would feel bad since they didn't get new clothes too. She wondered if Sandra needed a sparkly fuzzy pencil or lip gloss.

I started to think my plan worked.  

I made the kids fill out the labels that we were supposed to stick on each item. The kids folded everything and put in the bag the Angel Tree gave us. No, we couldn't wrap them because we had to follow the Angel Tree directions. (Child: "That's a dumb rule!" Me: "Most of them are if you didn't come up with them. I'm sure they have a good reason.")

We drove our gifts to Northpark last night. My little elves carried the red plastic bags full of loot through the mall. People stopped them to ask them about their bags. They told them about their kids, what they wanted, and what they bought for them. The FedEx guy offered to carry the package for my son since it was about as big as him! My son put down the package and showed Mr. FedEx his muscles, picked up his bag, and said, "Merry Christmas!!!" 

We rounded the corner, and there he was...Santa! The real Santa WITH his nice list, a red leather bound book! No messing around here! My kids walked right past Santa, gawking of course, but they walked right to the Angel Tree and turned in their gifts. I was in tears. 

OK, then they plopped down their bags and made a bee-line to Santa! I guess they figured they should get in line while their nice points were up there. 

My son asked Santa for LEGOs and a skateboard (YES!!!), and my daughter asked for Sandra's whole family to get new clothes..... and a 4G phone with a sliding keyboard, pink please, with diamonds all over. Really? Well, at least she forgot to ask for the baby sister!