The holidays are right around the corner, and time is flying by too fast. I am the mom of a toddler. While I should be super excited about Christmas and other big holidays, the questions continue to pour in as my daughter gets older. She hasn’t reached her Terrific Two’s yet, but I know that if I blink too long, she’ll been ten.
Luckily shopping lists and recipes aren’t at the top of things I wonder about. As I see all the holiday invites and preparations, questions flood my brain. About what you ask? Santa Claus. No seriously. All the holiday traditions and fictional characters provoke conversations.
I wonder about Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.
As a child, I was told tales about all these fantastical characters by my mother and I believed every word. I recall making super long lists of gifts and placing teeth under my pillow in hopes of receiving a monetary gift. It was a high point in childhood and something to look forward too. During those moments, I soaked up every word and fell deeply into the tales and devoted myself to being a “good child.” Unfortunately, I also remember being a fairly bright child and questioning the existence of these characters as well. I remember protesting Santa’s existence simply because we didn’t have a fireplace and a chimney.
Nowadays, I wonder if I will share these tales with my daughter. I’ve heard many parents say they work too hard to let Santa or the Tooth Fairy steal their credit. It often makes me wonder if their parents shared these traditions or told them the hard truth. Being honest about the tradition gives me a peaceful feeling, but the thought of my child blurting that Santa isn’t real to a future classmate makes me feel guilty. I mean who wants their child to be the Grinch that ruined Christmas.
Having something to look forward to was thrilling when I was a child.
It was also easier to have kids believe in Santa and such characters in the 90’s because we didn’t have as much access to technology. Cartoons and other television shows geared towards kids reinforced the idea of these character. Looking back, I don’t recall being upset or faulting my mother for the harmless fib. She was also one heck of a Santa. The memories and joy of those times remain with me to this day. Santa or not, we hope to create lasting, loving memories with our daughter around the holidays and the rest of the year.
