A Bundle of Myrrh

We have had a crazay week and weekend! I think everyone moves their Christmas events up to early December now in order to avoid all the Christmas events being held in late December…which um, are none since everyone moves the dates up. So this week EVERYTHING was going on, 4 parties in 4 days plus community and school happenings.

But Saturday we celebrated the Feast of St. Nicholas with a couple new books, some candy, cookies, orange chocolate chip muffins and Sinterklaas bars. Also some Swiss Roles in/on Phil’s shoes which I snuck in when he wasn’t looking. The babies were looking forward to this celebration. There’s something about getting to leave their shoes by the door that they love. I have to move them to the kitchen table after they go to bed or else the little babies will seek and destroy come morning.

We started a new tradition this year since the big babies are getting older, old enough to know about buying and getting gifts for Christmas. We gave each of them a little spending money to use generously. For buying a gift for one of their brothers or sisters and also a little to give to church.

Phil took 2 babies at a time to the “kids’ shoppe” our town opens once a year, selling gifts for $2 a piece so kiddos can shop. The babies drew names and went to find something for each other. They were thrilled!

Then we did something that we haven’t done for several years. We let the babies visit Santa. Our town has a lunch for the community then Santa pops by to see the children. Phil and I took the littlest ones home after eating and our neighbors kept the bigs for us while they waited. And they actually liked it!

Though we don’t let the babies think Santa brings them gifts on Christmas I’ve decided not to fiercely fight the whole Santa thing.

We can have fun with the story of him just like we do with fairies, magic or Spider Man. We talk about where the idea of Santa Claus came from (legends of St. Nicholas) and that he is a fun story for children, but he’s not real. Then we warn them not to tell any of their friends! And as long as they’re asking him for outrageous things like iPads and cell phones we’re good right?

Now this was a surprise for me! Look at the shyest kid in the world talking to Santa….and sitting on his lap! Cracks me up.

Of course Clara had no trouble doing this. I do believe this is the same Santa from her first and only other time to have seen Santa way back in ’09.

Clara and Buddy Claus c. 2009

He couldn’t get enough of her!

Lily’s experience with Santa was quite different, so I guess it’s good she doesn’t remember the trauma.

Oooo, that look!

Though there is not a lot known about the real St. Nicholas and much of what we do pass along is based on legend, I still like keeping this feast. It’s a fun tradition for us and a day we can use to teach about God’s lavish gifts of Faith, Hope and Love. We can also use this day to teach our children how to be generous, all lessons I hope to build on as they grow older.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 8th, 2014 at 9:18 pm and is filed under Church Year. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.