Do they still believe in Father Christmas?

It’s getting a bit touch and go here as to whether The Boy believes or not. There are a lot of question marks, indeed there are a lot of questions which are randomly fired at me at all sort s of times both day and night. I feel as though I am on the spot and that he is trying to trip me up. If my answers don’t tally then the game is up.

Him: “Can you go and see Father Christmas in Lapland?”

Me: “I am told you can.”

Him: “Is Father Christmas real?”

Me: “He is if you believe he is.”

Him: “Do YOU believe in Father Christmas Mummy?”

Me: “I believe.”

Sometimes he throws me googlies.

Him: “How can Father Christmas deliver all the presents to everyone all over the world in time?”

Me: “Magic.”

Him: Why are there a lot of Father Christmases in shops and everywhere?”

Me: Because there is only one Father Christmas sometimes he has to get people to help him so everyone is happy.”

Him: “Why does Father Christmas not give you everything you ask for even if you have been really good?”

Me: “Father Christmas always asks your parents if the presents he brings are right for you. He wouldn’t like to upset Mummies and Daddies at Christmas time.”

He’s working things out my boy but when he does finally work it out I just hope he’ll keep it quiet until his little brother is ready to ask those questions for himself…

Bah! Humbug! - shall I just give up on Christmas?

Shall I just give up on Christmas? I mean it’s not as if we are spending it at home so why bother with decorating it? No one will see it and I don’t think my family will appreciate it either. I posed that question (somewhat aggressively I might add) to the boys this morning. My head was full of the things I had to do IF I decided to go ahead with Christmas at our place.

First, there’d be the Christmas letter to write, the Christmas cards to buy, the envelopes to address and then of course the cost of the stamps. We don’t do much by halves at this place so the Christmas card list sits at nearly 200 strong. We never get back as many cards as we send out I might add.

Then I would have to find tall the decorations and dress the house. It is something I have always loved in the past but with us not being here I wonder would it be worth it and I feel that there is no point. Yet I am conflicted, I do love seeing my home dressed for Christmas.

But there is so much work involved. There is SO much to do. I have work and deadlines to meet and every weekend from now till New Year is packed; no rest or breather though I will admit at least this year I don’t have to do the lot myself. A silly practice I had got into whereby I’d be charging about entertaining from the week before Christmas to the weekend after New Year. No wonder I flopped into a depression every January I was far too exhausted.

So now without that pressure I feel in two minds. Do I hurtle about or do I drop it? There is no particular need is there?

Then I see their faces in the rear-view mirror.

Christmas may not be in our house this year but the build-up still is. I hear a little voice from the back of the car: “So Father Christmas won’t be coming to our house then?”

I check myself. God how selfish I am! “Of course he will sweetheart,” I say. And I mean it. The spirit of Christmas fills my heart because I know how much it means to them and after all what is Christmas all about if not them?

And later I will scamper about in the barn hunting down the decorations.

I will charge off to the shops to get the cards and do the Christmas Shopping.

The Christmas round robin letter will be written.

The envelopes addressed.

And I, well, I won’t be doing everything this time, there will be no cooking or extra cleaning, no jollying along of in-laws and making everything perfect for everyone else because I think that is what they want so I think it will be a Merry Christmas after all…

Still believing in Father Christmas...

In a minute now I will go to bed crossing my fingers that I have covered tracks and that the magic of Christmas stays magic of yet another year.

The Boy is getting to the age of unbelief and I have been trying to help him to hold on. He’s heard the rumours of course and challenged me in the car on the way back from School.

The Boy: “The boys at school say it’s not Santa but your Mum and Dad

Me: Really. “Why on earth should we do that? I mean why should we put all those presents, some of which we don’t even like, wrap them then sneak into your rooms at dead of night when we would much rather be sleeping? And to top it all you know we hate it when you wake us so early so why should we get you all excited?!!!” (I believe in being prepared and a little long winded but it covers all bases and seems to have the desired effect…)

The Boy: “Oh. I hadn’t thought about that…”

Today he was in the car with Charlie, off buying presents of his own when he suddenly turned to his Dad and apropos of nothing said: “Dad, have I been a good boy?”

Dad slightly bewildered and not quite up to speed: “Yes you’ve behaved yourself today, why is there something wrong?”

The Boy: “No I was just worried all I would get was coal if I had been bad.”

It took Charlie the whole journey back from the shops to work this one out! (For those not brought up in the North, Father Christmas does not give naughty little boys and girls presents he leaves them coal instead!)

This evening both boys went to bed like little lambs with their father’s warning ringing in their ears: “If you don’t go straight to sleep Santa will not come, he’ll miss us out and fly on by and you wouldn’t want that would you?”

Chorus of two wide eyed little boys: “Nooooooo!!!”

Angels went straight to sleep and not a murmur or a peep have we heard…

Hope Santa has been good to you all. Have a very Merry Christmas!!!