Growing up Santa on the Rocks

We decided to make some table top versions of our tree. (You want one? Email me at momontherocks @ momontherocks dot com)So, in order to do that, we had to set up the tree for a template reference. Yeah, our tree has been up since mid-October. I was too lazy to take it down and put it back in the basement. Surely it provoked the following conversation.

Lucy just asked me to confirm Santa Clause. Well, Max asked first. And we told him what was up. We also told him that he could talk to Lucy about it, but not really to anyone else.

So, once again, in the minivan, when Lucy has a chance, she confirms with her very natural inquisition,
"Max is lying , right Mom?"

"What do you think, Sweets?"

Silence. Oh, touche Baby A, touche. Silence is not your best game, and yet, you play it.

"Baby, Santa was a real mortal dude. He became a legend when he went and helped out a family by placing money in the stockings that were hanging in front of the fire at night. Sound familiar?"

"Yes, so Max WAS lying!?" I'm not too sure she's more eager to hang on to the whole Santa gig or to prove her brother wrong. Either would be complete elation for the rest of the year.

"Well, Lucy. See, Santa was a man. A mortal. And when he did that gig, it was a very long time ago. So, he died."

"SANTA DIED!?"

"Well, yes. He was human. I think he lived in the 1600's. So, you know, we all die eventually."

She sat and thought on that.

Well, now who can't stand the silence? Me. So, I humored the void and filled it,
"When I was a kid, I was about your age when I figured it all out. And it made me sad to know that the magic of Santa wasn't really real. But then I realized my parents had been doing all of that for me - THEY were keeping the magic going. And that's kind of cool, right?"

Big smile from my girl, but still silently letting it all sink in.

"And his name was Saint Nicholas because he was made into a saint after he died. Do you know what that means?"

"Yes." She's a first communion drop out - so, she's well versed on Sainthood.

"It means he did something really good, and so, the Church acknowledged it and sainted him. And so, the cool thing about him, and the whole being a saint thing is, it worked - his actions while he was living are passed on for hundreds and hundreds of years. We give gifts anonymously. We pass it on."

"So, Santa IS real! He lives in our hearts. And we keep his life important by giving gifts and helping others."

Holy Santa, yes! Wow.

"Yes, Sweety, we do. We keep the magic alive. And in order to do that, you can't really talk about it to other kids. You know what I mean?"

"Well, if anyone asks me, I'm telling them I believe in Santa. Because I do. What he did was really cool and that everyone passed it on makes him even cooler."

Again: Holy Santa! Seriously y'all.

And then we Lucy discussed the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and Leprechauns. Lucy explained that Leprechauns probably don't exist. But the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny do. She deduced that they tap us on the hand and wake us up to put the Easter Basket or Money for the Tooth out.

I'm still in awe of the Santa conversation. So, I opt to just let her go with that about the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny for now. I get a little giggle from the idea of Lucy being a mom and still believing the Tooth fairy is real and will wake her up in the night with a wad of cash to place under her child's pillow. When THAT doesn't happen...

That's how I roll

Song of the Day: Back Door Santa