Santa Who?
Ashley Hodges
Issue date: 12/9/09 Section: Viewpoints
It's that time of year again.
The leaves have fallen, the cold has set in and Santa is said to be on his way.
However, the idea of allowing a strange man into my home late at night makes me uncomfortable, even if he is leaving gifts behind.
I remember hoping I had been "good enough" all those years to receive what I wanted for Christmas. Now that I am a mother to my 3-year-old son, Kingston, I haven't really presented Santa Claus to him, primarily because I will have to one day tell him the truth. I honestly don't believe he would be devastated at the news that Santa is a wonderful legend, but I prefer to stick with the actual reason for the season.
Kingston attends a Christian-based day-care center, where they teach him that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. I know many argue over when Jesus was born but I see his birth as a better reason than any other to celebrate.
If this recession has taught me nothing else, I've learned to go back to the basics. As my son has grown, he is now aware that he has gifts and I want him to know who they came from. Along with his day-care center, I will re-emphasize the whole reason we celebrate Christmas and give gifts.
Even though other children his age will probably believe in Santa for quite a while longer, I will try to inform Kingston not to blow the whistle on their parents and their Santa Claus operation.
This has been a rough year for me, so I plan on taking ownership for everything I'm able to come up with for this and future Christmases. I have discovered that children at Kingston's tender age are at their most resilient and forgiving point.
So instead of me telling this ancient and - let's face it - pointless lie, I will tell my son the truth that family, friends, mom and dad are the gift givers. Allow Santa to take credit for my clipped coupons, pinched pennies and survival of Black Friday after nearly getting into a retail fight?
I think not.
The leaves have fallen, the cold has set in and Santa is said to be on his way.
However, the idea of allowing a strange man into my home late at night makes me uncomfortable, even if he is leaving gifts behind.
I remember hoping I had been "good enough" all those years to receive what I wanted for Christmas. Now that I am a mother to my 3-year-old son, Kingston, I haven't really presented Santa Claus to him, primarily because I will have to one day tell him the truth. I honestly don't believe he would be devastated at the news that Santa is a wonderful legend, but I prefer to stick with the actual reason for the season.
Kingston attends a Christian-based day-care center, where they teach him that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. I know many argue over when Jesus was born but I see his birth as a better reason than any other to celebrate.
If this recession has taught me nothing else, I've learned to go back to the basics. As my son has grown, he is now aware that he has gifts and I want him to know who they came from. Along with his day-care center, I will re-emphasize the whole reason we celebrate Christmas and give gifts.
Even though other children his age will probably believe in Santa for quite a while longer, I will try to inform Kingston not to blow the whistle on their parents and their Santa Claus operation.
This has been a rough year for me, so I plan on taking ownership for everything I'm able to come up with for this and future Christmases. I have discovered that children at Kingston's tender age are at their most resilient and forgiving point.
So instead of me telling this ancient and - let's face it - pointless lie, I will tell my son the truth that family, friends, mom and dad are the gift givers. Allow Santa to take credit for my clipped coupons, pinched pennies and survival of Black Friday after nearly getting into a retail fight?
I think not.
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