Christmas for us

Over the 6 1/2 years that Jimmy and I have been married we have struggled many times to know just how to properly celebrate the season with our children. While we both want the true story of Christmas (the birth of Jesus) to be the supreme focus I also want to make Christmas a childlike magical time for my children. While our children know that Santa is not real we do watch movies that have Santa. Just like my daughters dress up and play princess while knowing they are not actual princesses I believe it is ok for them to watch the make believe world of Santa on movies knowing full well a jolly man in a red suit does not pass out gifts to the nice and coal to the naughty! =) Make sense?

When I was a child Santa was kind of forbidden. My mom specifically had a very good reason from her childhood for not allowing any Santa in her own house as an adult but for me now I am at least hoping to find a balance of including the fantasy of Santa (movies) and yet the reality of St. Nicolas and who that man really was. While I do know that the more modern version of Santa tends to indulge human greed and selfishness, I also know that stories of pretend and make-believe allow children to be just that... children.

I of course want my children to be responsible and have chores and jobs and know how to work hard and help their family and so on.... BUT soon enough they will grow up and work will be their entire life (whether it be at home or in a traditional job).
I want them to experience the wonder and innocence of childhood. Part of that is hearing my girls upstairs pretending to be princesses and mommies. Part of that is letting watch Santa and snowman movies at Christmas.

At the end of the day JESUS is why we celebrate Christmas and WOW what an amazing gift to receive in to your life. There is never any doubt what our central focus of the season is in our house but we also love to make a big pot of hot chocolate and watch The Santa Clause or turn on the music and dance around the house listening to Jingle Bell Rock!

I love this life we have here. Our home is a haven from the rest of the world and the yuckiness of it. We don't get it all right but we are trying to learn how to keep it all in perspective. It will be a very Merry Christmas!