A Christmas Story

Hi Friends
At this festive time of year I am usually reminded of Christmases past. Ones where my husband and I had little ones to bring Christmas to. These days are long gone now, as all our children have grown up.
For us as a young family with only one income at the time, ( the babysitting fees would most certainly have eaten up any money I would have made), Christmas was a time of careful planning and strict budgetary restraint.
After the back to school rush, with the new clothes, two pairs of running shoes one for indoor and one for outdoor (for little feet that seemed to grow bigger weekly), and the needed back-packs and nutritious lunches...you simply did your best.

My boys, like their little friends, excitedly awaited the Xmas commercials on T.V. to see just what they wanted Santa to bring them as rewards for having been so good. Having pointed out that greed was a sign of naughtiness I had asked that they keep their "must have" list to one or two gifts, and be happily surprised by what ever else Santa had decided to bring them.

The biggest movie out that year had been "Batman" (the only good one, starring Michael Keaton, & Kim Bassinger, and Jack Nickleson as the Joker!)and as the boys had seen it and being typical little boys loved it. So much so that my middle son, asked for the "Bat mobile" for his big gift.
Well it seemed that every kid in the city had asked for that very toy, and try as we might, we were always just a few minutes too late, to get the very last one that each store we checked in, (or so it seemed)had just sold out. So the word was put out to my large family to please keep an eye out, and should any one happen upon this much wished for toy, please pick it up and we'd reimburse any one who managed to find it for us.
It eventually turned up at a little out of the way convenience store, (not the exact one, but a Bat mobile, none the less) picked up by my nephew and brought to us.

Christmas morning came with the usual hub-bub and then the rushing around to make the meals and the big dinner and finally...bath and bed time for the boys.

My usual routine was to read to them, but having dishes waiting for me, and clean up after the big day, my time was shorter than usual. I told the boys we would get back to our latest book the next day, but tonight we would just have a little chat about the day.

My oldest son assured me that, he had gotten just what he had hoped for, and was looking forward to going to his friends house to play with all their new toys, the next day.
The baby was all sleepy eyed and more interested in his bottle than any chat, but our middle son, who even at the tender age of five was somewhat thoughtful and serious minded. He told me he had an important question for me. He is only in kindergarten, surely he didn't suspect any thing..but such a serious face...could he? Here it comes I thought...the Santa lie exposed. How do we handle this?
"What did you want to ask me, babe?"
"I'm older than James, right and Adam is older that Cortney right?"(Adam was his very best friend and also a big brother to a younger sibling)
"Right, what do you want to ask?"
"Well Adam gets to stay up a half hour longer than his sister, can I stay up a half hour longer than James?"
Whew! That was it...the big important question? I had worried over nothing!
"You're right, come to think of it, and in the New Year we will start that, okay?"
"So honey did you like the gifts Santa brought you?"
"Yeah, I got the Bat mobile...not the one I wanted but still one!"
"I'll bet that a lot of little kids asked for the Bat mobile, and Santa just had to do his best on that one, you're not disappointed are you?"
"No...not really. Hey Mom; my reading buddy told me that Santa is really you and Dad,...is that right?"
The kindergarten reading buddies were the grade 4&5 students who came into their class room to read with the kindergarten kids on rain days, and apparently as well as reading with them I guess they were also the bearers of all things grown up...thanks kid! I'll be having a chat with the teacher over you, and your big mouth in the New Year!

Being throughly caught off guard I was only able to manage a weak, "So what do you think?"
"Some how I think he's right!"
Think, think...
"Well is that okay with you? What do you think your other friends think about that?"
"Oh they don't know, (he had already checked that little thing out with them) but I'll bet Evan knows right?"
Evan is his big brother, and very worldly to him. He can go out with his friends alone, to the movies and a whole host of other things that he is still to little to partake in.

"Yes Evan does know, but he keeps it a secret from you and James, you know so as not to ruin Christmas for you! The same way you'd have to keep the secret from others who might still believe in Santa. Do you think you can do that?"
"Yeah, because I'm a big boy, right?"
Giggling at his new grown up knowledge, he admitted though he liked the Bat mobile he really wanted the other one, but all was not lost he could simply ask the Easter Bunny for it...and then with new enlightenment and a quizzical suspicion he said..."Hey,...wait a minute, hes not fake too...is he?"
I was nearly choking on my laughter but did manage to get the words out..."You know you are way to big a boy to be going to bed at this babyish time, so I want you to get back up, and go out to the other room and continue playing with your toys for at least another half hour!"

Merry Christmas Friends
and may you all have a very happy holiday time with your own.
Regards
Debra