Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas, Cards and Cookies (Just in Case)




Fa la la la la, la la la la...  ♪♫

(I know, I know, a month long absence but I hadn't planned it! I've been involved in a writing project, a collaborative effort, of which I may share a bit here at SS at a later date. Now, on to other current happenings...)

And just how was I supposed to get a respectable Christmas card from this photo session? It's nearly impossible with my two. That's because my two are what you might call, well, "non-directable." Which is why I only got to mailing semi-decent photo cards on Thursday night. 

Here is the thing about having card-age children: their shiny facsimile simply must appear on the annual Christmas cards. This is one of the unwritten rules of parenting. And as you know, I am not a professional photographer. It wouldn't make any difference if I were, either. The one and only time I brought my children to see a professional photographer (who took--it seemed--hundreds of pictures) for a photo shoot, I secured from him only two semi-decent photos. Of course, it didn't help that we were in a big, beautiful park on a bright and warm day, and the children were simply beguiled by the parks stunning landscape. They clawed and climbed every tree, chased every duck, jumped in the pond, and mauled the poor photographer for his camera.

Anyhow... those now teenaged children let me in on a little secret this year. It went something like this:

Oh, Ma, the girl said, You don't have to play that game anymore. Max and I know there's no Santa. And we've known for a while, really.

(I'd asked her only for a list. The usual Christmas list for Santa.)

Ok, well, you may not believe, I replied, but you should probably write something up for Santa anyway. You know, just in case.

(She may be over Santa, but I intended to perpetuate the charade.)

So the girl gave me not only a multi-paged list written on lined paper torn from a small notebook, but she also stuck raised bunny stickers to mark--like asterisks--the special items, and stapled applicable coupons at the top of her list (which, by the way, is no longer addressed: Dear Santa).


Every year Lulu's list looks the same. Boots, clothing and stocking stuffers like lip balm, nail polish, eye mask, body lotion, socks, duct tape and anything else that happens to cross her mind at the moment the list is suggested. Pages and pages. This year, she added a laptop to the manifest and then crossed it off when she realized that she had virtually no chance of getting one. (She tinkers on my old clunker--as if that's not good enough!)

Meanwhile, her brother can barely produce a single page. Oh, whatever Santa wants to bring is fine, he says. Listen kid, I want to tell him, need something! I can't go hunting without a list, I need to follow a scent, something to scratch and stalk! I suppose I could have said that to him this year--and probably the past several years--but then the poor kid wouldn't have been able to carry on the charade, himself. And he certainly doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

Last night, as we put finishing touches on some of the festive  decorations, Lu announced that she'd still like to leave milk and cookies on a tray for Santa. Is that so, I said.

Well, Mom, she smiled, even though I know that Santa doesn't really exist, I'd like to leave the milk and cookies for him. And, you know, pretend. Just in case.

Just in case. I think no matter how old we get, we all want to preserve the magic of Christmas. Tonight, we'll put the milk and cookies out. And then the magic will begin...

Merry, merry, merry!

40 comments:

  1. A very merry, merry, merry back to you and yours, Jayne!

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  2. Tidings of comfort and joy to you! Bring on the Christmas magic. We still put out milk and cookies for Santa and sprinkle "reindeer food" on the lawn. Holiday traditions are comforting. Enjoy yours!

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  3. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family, charade or no.

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  4. You're here! You're here! Is it really you?!?

    (Huh. Now that I think about it, not so unlike Santa...)

    Love Lulu's attempt -- in the guise of eye-rolling young skeptic -- to let you down, slowly. And simultaneously, making sure that The Letter gets into the pipeline. Just in case.

    Great video. Annie Lennox will never be mistaken for anyone else, will she???

    Have a great Christmas, Jayne!

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  5. Oh, I know he exists. My grandfather used to tell us that he saw Santa jumping up and down on the end of his bed one year. And, adults wouldn’t lie to children, now would they?

    Merry merry Christmas to you too, Jayne.

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  6. Aaw J-girl its c*****mas for me every time i open up a post from you and today is no different, cept it is gonna be a stinkin' hot day in the antipodes...
    hope you have as good a time as the kids....young master looks like he's having fun with the fake boozums...oh the mammaries that brings back

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  7. I believe in Santa.
    But I don't believe in flying reindeer. After all, I'm not a gullible child. I'm a full-grown elf.

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  8. Lovely, sharp yet sweet as usual. I've missed your writing and your daughter? She's a smart cookie, I love her list.

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  9. If the spirit of a thing is true, do the details matter? And only a fool would turn away from Christmas cookies and milk. Wishing you and your family a joyous day and maybe new music for the new year. xo Marylinn

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  10. I love your non-directable children! Happy Christmas to you all.

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  11. Smart girl, including coupons probably ups the chances of getting what she wants, i like that, i'll have to tip the boyos off to that once they stop believing in SC, for now i'm to busy moving some damn elf every night. Hope it was a good one. El Kono.

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  12. Jayne, I'm not sure if the pain of watching our children morph into adults is worse than the pain of shopping for them. I only know that no matter how old they get they still fall victim to the magic spell of Christmas.

    Your two look like fabulous kids. I love the silly photos, and that coupon clipped to the list... She's clever!

    Merry Christmas Jayne. It's so nice to have you back!

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  13. Just about the ONLY pop chanteuse I'll forgive for making a Christmas song is Annie.

    Don't you find the differences in the children fascinating?! Sometimes, it's as if both extremes of everything are required to be represented in a sibling pair of two. Rinse and repeat.

    Good to see you back. Delighted to hear you're writing-writing...like this is, um, chopped liver.

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  14. Little boy's wish list was modest this year (just a remote controlled snow scooter), he already got most of his Christmas presents some weeks ago; new skis and new ski boots. Older boy wanted the new biography about Zlatan, and got it. Looking forward to see the results of your writing project. Happy Holidays >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  15. happy holidays!

    seeing annie gets me in the mood for hogmanay.

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  16. Loree- To you, too. And have a wonderful New Year.

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  17. Linda- Oh no, I'm afraid the reindeer went hungry at our house! But it's good to know they were well fed at your place--thanks for taking care of that! ;)

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  18. Ellen- Thank you. I wonder when Lu is going to set me straight about the Easter Bunny. ;)

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  19. JES- Yes, here! And then not. Off to NH soon for a little school vacation...

    Perhaps I'll find myself, in the new year, back to a more ordinary schedule here at SS (as if there has ever actually been a schedule)--at least for the Frolic. I'm feeling the need for routine lately. But that will have to wait until the children return to school.

    Isn't Lu kind? She's really a master at reading mother. (And knowing how to make her smile). ;)
    Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

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  20. TBFKA- No, adults never lie. Of course not! That's why we're all still writing lists, isn't it? ;)
    Happy Holidays!

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  21. Dan- Ha! Young master is most masterful at having a good time, indeed. Whenever I get my two together for pictures it's like the park all over again. At home, they climb all over the furniture and wrestle on the floor.

    Warm Christmas here, too! Forties today and a rainstorm this evening. Really makes you wonder...

    Have a wonderful New Year, Dan. :)

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  22. Nessa- Haha!! We watched Elf the other night. What fun it must be to be a full grown elf--lucky lady you are! ;)

    Hope Santa was good to you!

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  23. Shopgirl- So good to see you here. Hope you're enjoying you holidays out west. My daughter always keeps our holidays (heck, every day) very interesting. ;)

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  24. Marylinn- Definitely new music in the new year!

    The details? No, they don't matter at all. I love how you get right to the heart of it. Happy holidays, MK. :)

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  25. Penelope- And a very happy Christmas, and New Year to you, too! And you have the added pleasure of getting to celebrate it before most of us here do! Enjoy. :)

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  26. Laoch- in these parts, we say Joyeux Noel. All the same though. And merry, merry. ;)

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  27. Kono- Moving elves?! I love that image. You're lucky, you still have a lot of years of Santa ahead of you. And I'll bet the boyos will preserve the magic for as long as possible.

    I only wish my daughter would clip coupons for the market! I'm sure if there were something in it for her, she'd be on top of that. Mallow bars? Nutella? ;)

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  28. What a wonderful post, Jayne! Not having children I always wondered how that transition from Santa to non-Santa worked. The cookies and milk request of your daughter touched my heart. Yes, indeed: Just in case.

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  29. Leah- So true! We simply can't escape the magic of this season. It glistens and we are drawn in.

    I have to say, though, I'm utterly wiped out, but glad to have had a moment to write here again. Miss your place--I"ll be by soon.

    Have a beautiful New Year, Leah. :)

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  30. Nance- Annie can do anything she likes, as far as I'm concerned! I love her Christmas music.

    I'm happy for the extremes, but yes, it is fascinating how very different they are. It makes me wonder if I were a totally different mother the second time around. Either way, I'm happy the second isn't a clone of the first and vice versa. As kooky as they are, the balance is pretty nice. ;)

    Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Nance. Happy New Year!

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  31. Cold- Zlatan! I'll bet my son would like that book, as well.

    The thing about the kids getting older, and Santa passing his duties along to parents, is that the "toys" seem to get bigger and pricier each year. I want Santa back! ;)

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  32. Billy- Hogmanay? Are you going? Seeing Annie reminds of the singer I will never be! She's perfection.

    Happy holidays to you, too!

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  33. Lord W- The transition takes place to quickly, as far as I'm concerned! it wasn't long ago that my friends/siblings and I remarked how wonderfully different Christmas was with little ones around--one's who believe! And it is different indeed. Our little ones are savvy and grow quickly, but Christmas is still pretty special.

    That milk request warmed my heart, too. I have a feeling she won't let go of that one. I mean, someone has to eat the cookies!

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  34. Well I hope "Santa" made it through okay! And any child who asks for Duct Tape is a very practical child to me. :)

    Happy Holidays!
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  35. Hey, just stopped by to wish you and your family a Happy New Year x

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  36. The list is very artistic in an urban kind of way.:)
    Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wishing you a great New Year.

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  37. I love these photos (and those golden, er, you know!). Thank you, and a happy new year to you!

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