Half Way to Christmas - The Truth About Santa

So I haven't written in a really long time. There are a lot of personal reasons for that which I am sure I will get into on my next post. But in the meantime, this is the first thing in over a month that has inspired me to take 5 minutes, dry my tears, and post.

Below is a letter written by a mother, to her daughter about Santa's existence after her daughter begged to know the TRUTH.

I LOVE this letter. Love it.

Dear Lucy,

Thank you for your letter. You asked a very good question: “Are you Santa?”

I know you’ve wanted the answer to this question for a long time, and I’ve had to give it careful thought to know just what to say.

The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.

I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.)

I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

This won’t make you Santa, though.

Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.

It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.

Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.

With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.

So, no. I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too.

I love you and I always will.

Mama

I remember clearly what it felt like to believe. And I remember BEGGING to know the truth at an age when many were years past "knowing".  I hope to share something like this one day for my kids too.

The full blog post is HERE

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

So here is what happened this year. As a holiday that I loathed, both as a single and as an attached girl, I suddenly found value in Valentine's Day this year. Just another excuse to have fun and shower the family with love. 1) First, I had not noticed, in life previously, that you can buy decorations for your home for almost any occasion. More importantly I didn't realize that as my kids got older that would be something I would actually WANT to do. We had tons of fun decorating the house with A. Anything is magical at 3! And even 1.5 year olds will play for hours with holiday themed window clings!

2) We had tons of fun making valentines that would actually be passed out to her preschool class. And anytime there is a big "party" at school the excitement turns up a few notches at home. What I did not know is that Valentine's day is right up there with Halloween in the candy department - no matter how many notes that go home with the parents that say "do not bring in candy". I will be mentally prepared next year -- And I'll remember to block out more time for me on the treadmill :-)

3) We received valentines this year from our 3 year old (with help from the babysitter) and the presentation was super amazing! (This is in the lead for a JOY DAY post but lets see if something else beats it out this week)

4) Making Valentine's themed treats is fun. My go-to recipe for Tri Berry Muffins from Barefoot Contessa look all pink and purple when you bake them! BUT, one must be careful when making heart shaped pancakes, as my husband found out this morning. The the shapes can mistakenly get a little "dirty" :-) 

5) And finally, although on a much smaller scale, setting up their little gifts on the eve of Valentine's Day and watching their reactions in the morning was like a teeny, tiny Christmas. 

Hope your day was filled with fun and love too!