1. The mall has begun to stress me out.
2. We won't see the Long Grove Santa during our Long Grove visit because of a basketball game.
3. We won't see the Winterset Santa because we'll be in Long Grove this year.
4. In 2009 the Winterset Santa was a woman.
5. The majority of my kids are freaked out by Santa and I end up doing all the talking.
As my kids sat down to write their letters, I became aware of a few facts.
1. Molly can write 'L's.
2. Ross' spelling is worse than I thought.
3. Maisie is obviously learning about apostrophies in school right now.
4. None of my children are getting anything they asked for.
A couple years ago, (heck last year) I'd have panicked and started 're-shopping' at this point. Not this year. Why? Ready for another list?
1. My kids have no clue what they want for Christmas.
2. Ross only thinks he wants a dirt bike. Maybe he does, I don't know. He's not getting one though and I'm confident he'll recover.
3. Molly only wants an Elsa necklace and Elsa dress because Maisie's asking for one. She doesn't though, she just doesn't know what else to say.
4. Disappointment is a part of life. Remember the 'coat of many colors' I received from Gfunk when I was in 7th grade? Enough said.
5. Maisie thinks she wants an Elsa dress. Yet, I know the Elsa dress would be stiff, scratchy and too short. She's not getting one and neither is Molly.
6. Maisie also wants a snow globe. Santa actually left a fancy snow globe (thank you Grandma Green house) under our tree this week while she was at school. Unfortunately, she dropped it later that evening and I'm still finding shards of glass and glitter throughout the house.
6. And lastly, enough is enough. My kids are so spoiled they can't even think of something they they truly want and they need nothing. I'd rather put the money I would have spent toward a trip for Mike and I or our new septic tank. Either or.
So much emphasis is put on gifts. Everyone is so desperate to complete their shopping lists to the point people feel obligated to spend money. People get stressed and Walmart makes a fortune.
I know I'm not I'm being a Grinch about this. I think I'm actually part of the problem. I'm a parent. I want my kids to have the same fond memories of Christmas I have. Sure the gifts were always a huge bonus (Thank you G-funk- the jacket was just a little much), but aside from Mall Madness, the Ouigi board and Girl Talk Dateline, I really don't remember most of the gifts. The Christmas memories I cherish are the ones where Grandpa Claussen fell asleep on the couch, rolled off and continued to snore. Cramming into a mini van with my Grandpa Green to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve while Santa Clause came, drinking Riunite with my cousins at the 'kid table' at G-funks house over a bowl of soup and oyster crackers, the powdered sugar crescent cookies, the tinsel, the village, the homemade bows, cinnamon rolls, the suspense and mostly, being surrounded by everyone who brought joy to my life.
Christmas will come and Christmas will go. I'll drink too much wine, eat too much cheese and the kids will open too many gifts. If I could ask for just one thing this year, it's that my children's memories of Christmas will revolve around all of those who bring joy to their lives.
You had me at smear.
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