To Believe or Not to Believe

Lately it seems as though my kiddos have been bombarded by children of purist parents regarding the nonexistence of St. Nick.  Or Santa Claus.  I get not buying into the secularism of Christmas.  I understand wanting to keep Christ as the focus.  Really, I do.  But I believe that we can have our cake milk and cookies and eat them too, so-to-speak.   

As a child, Christmas was my favorite holiday, or holy-day.  Everything about it was magical, joyful, warm....perfect.  The time of preparation before Christmas......the Advent wreath, filling our manger with straws earned with kind deeds to make a soft bed for Jesus, the songs, making cookies for neighbors...:..the whole thing was really the most wonderful time of the year. And topping it all off was St. Nick's magical arrival on Christmas Eve.  

There's the argument that we shouldn't be encouraging our children to lie. Really?  They're going to learn how to lie from this example?  I submit that lying is more deeply ingrained in our humanity.    

Dad did an awesome job of keeping the St. Nick mystery just that ~ a mystery.  I don't even want to admit how long I believed.  We definitely shouldn't bring up the Easter Bunny in this discussion  

Shannon was not my favorite person after he broke the bad news to me.  

Anyway.  I remember the reindeer and sleigh prints that ran down our driveway.  What else possibly could have left such evidence other than the little fat man himself?  My point is, despite my horrendous, lying parents, I know what Christmas is all about.  I made it through childhood unscarred, in this aspect anyway!  

Shannon and I teach our children the true meaning of this most special of seasons, but I love the suspense, the investigation, the imagination (especially my husband's), a good story.  I just love it all and would beg anyone who sees fit to ruin our joy and excitement to please just go jump in a snow bank!  Because if I'm standing there when your children spill the beans, I may just push you               in one ~:o)

Besides, if Santa really is your parents, as my children have been told, how do parents get presents??? There.  
I've proven his existence.  

Maximo after someone telling him bad news ~~~

And Colin too ~~~

Despite being heathens, we still pray before a picnic ;o)