Kintropy In Action

I grew up celebrating Christmas. It wasn’t the religious version; it was the full on Santa-centric holiday. It was fun. I got so excited and believed in the magic of Santa and his flying reindeer.

I am now Jewish. I must admit that giving up Christmas was not easy. When Gabriel was born, I realized I wouldn’t get to share that idea of magic in the world through him.

One of my friends who has been Jewish all her life explained to me that the excitement and wonder is still there. During Chanukah, a child never knows where a present will come from or when. It’s eight days of fun and surprises. That is how I pass on my winter excitement to my kids. The neat thing is I get all the credit for the gifts too.

My only concern remained that I keep Gabriel respectful of other people’s holidays. I didn’t want him ruining other children’s holidays by telling them that a certain person doesn’t exist. So, for the past few years I explained to him that when Santa fly’s over our neighborhood, he sees a giant six-pointed star over our house. That way he knows he doesn’t need to stop because Gabriel and Hannah get enough presents from their family that they don’t need anymore.

He accepted that.

This year he had more questions. So I told him the truth and explained that it is a game played by parents with their children. Only the parents should tell their kids that Santa is not a tangible being.

Tonight we were hanging out with family and my brother in-law and his son, who is three, celebrate Christmas. I did some of the traditional adult-to-child conversations with my nephew about getting to sleep and sleeping all night.

Gabriel, puzzled, leaned over and whispered to me, "We don’t tell J, right that Santa is not real."

"Yes, Gabriel" I whispered back, "we help Uncle K with his game."

Gabriel giggled.

--Mom

For those of you who expect a visit from the bearded gentleman.

"Merry Christmas!"