Who is Santa anyway?

Around this time, every year our home transforms from pumpkins to pine, autumnal spice to peppermint, flickering jack-o-lanterns to twinkling lights, "Monster Mash" to "Jingle Bells." A waft of magic touching on every sense, awakening memories and feelings.  I love holidays.  Actually, I love creating an experience, memories for our children.

In all honesty, I find the Santa gig extremely difficult at times. Times, when my very logical five year old son, Anderson, asks, "Well, how does Santa really fly around the world in one night?" Or, "Why would Santa forget to bring toys to some boys and girls?"  My daughter, Alex, is three now, but has always had many reservations about Santa...I think it is primarily the beard.   The difficulty, lies in the fear of spinning a web of fibs that one day I will have to own up to.  Or the conundrum of peeling my daughter off my leg to place her next to a stranger, despite us telling her not talk to strangers. 

Yet, there are times when I hope the Santa gig doesn't run its course.  You know when Santa has my back, and I'm caught saying,  "You know Santa is watching, and he knows whether you've made good choices."  Now we even have a tangible, little elf named "Toby" - who is Santa's direct report.  All, I have to do is remember to move him each night.  For one month I like to think of him as my enforcer.  When Anderson asks, "Mummy, are God and Santa singing 'Happy Birthday' with us, when we sing?" I see the resonation. The powers that be at work.

We have the magical aspect of believing in something that we cannot see.  We feel the spirit and show remnants of Santa: the milk glass empty, half eaten cookies and carrots come morning; the sugary boot prints leading from the fireplace; the tiny bells dropped on the deck (Santa must work on his dismount); the gifts and full stockings.

We went to see Santa as we have done the past few years in our town's Christmas festival.  I find this particular Santa genuine, a little more magical than the average mall Santa.  He offers some validity since Anderson has concluded that the mall Santas must be helpers to the real Santa simply because Santa can't be everywhere at once.

In order to prevent Alex from running the other way of the big man, we tried to prep her.
Me: "So, I hear Santa will be in our town tonight - before he gets really busy after Thanksgiving."
Alex: "I do not like Santa because he wears red!  Who is Santa anyway?"
Anderson: "Well, Alex. Santa brings toys to all the children around the world.  You can ask him for something, but DON'T ask him for poop!" Yes, he just said that and no we don't have prune issues. 

Proof that memories are definitely made in the moment!  Kids, unbeknownst to them, create the experience - no mummy help needed.

This is our Santa photo from this year - 2013.  We've come along way in just one year:

2012