Merry Christmas

This is such a fun year for us. Maddie is just "getting" the Santa concept, but more importantly she's getting the "happy birthday Jesus" idea. I really wanted to make sure that we teach her the real reason for Christmas. It's hard though, with everyone who talks to her asking if Santa is going to come and bring her presents. Firstly, she's a pretty smart child (if I do say so) so really, when you ask her that, it freaks her out. Why would some stranger bring her gifts? She says no, by the way, when you ask her if Santa is going to bring her presents, then she follows it with, "Mommy and Daddy"... We still haven't decided whether she means that Santa will bring presents to Mommy and Daddy or whether Mommy and Daddy are going to bring her the presents...
Either way, it affirms that Santa kind of goes against what we try to teach our kids. "Don't talk to strangers" "Don't take candy from a stranger" "Don't let strange people touch you"... but wait, at Christmas, "Go up to Santa (a stranger), sit on his lap, take the candy he offers, and tell him what you want for Christmas..." Really? No wonder she's a little freaked out!

It was my father in law's birthday the other day and my mother in law asked Maddie who's birthday was next (completely expecting Maddie to say "mine" since hers in Jan.10) but Maddie proudly said, "Jesus's birthday is next!" YES!! It is!! lets not forget that!!! That she said that makes me think we're doing something right!!

Merry CHRISTmas!