it’s april, let’s talk santa

Last Christmas was a complete disaster when it came to the whole Santa thing. Ryan(8):   There is no such thing as Santa Claus. Rhett(4):   YES THERE IS…followed by screaming, crying and a very loud…MOMMY!   RYAN SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS SANTA. Reid(6):   Santa is dead.*

*Read the Santa is dead story here.

It was a huge relief to have the holidays pass.   I felt like I was in for smooth sailing until at least next November with a little blip for the Easter bunny. *peace and quiet* Last week we were at the park with friends — approximately 376 boys, well it may have only been 9 boys but it seemed like more. The boys were running along a creek and making weapons and creating wars with invasions across the flat creekbed and getting wet and yelling and doing what 9 little boys do when they are let loose at a park with a creek. The moms were standing along the sidewalk negotiating peace treaties and in readiness for any necessary emergency creek rescue when I saw Ryan chasing down two other boys yelling…

How does he get alllllll the way around the world in one night? How does his bottom *giggle* not get burned when he comes down the chimney? How DOES he fit toys for everyone in that bag?

Great.   My kid is THAT kid…the one that ruins Christmas. I ran after them and declared the following, “Boys.   It is April.   We are not even going to MENTION the word Santa until fall.” It really was a stroke of genius. I have attempted to argue and debate in the past which only gets into deeper and deeper discussion.   It is a lose-lose situation. Santa seems to be the religion-politics for grade schoolers…it is just better not to breach the subject in social situations. Later, at home, when we were discussing what makes for good conversation in social situations (yes, I am a regular Miss Manners), Ryan started the Santa debate again.   He is a missionary of there is no Santa.   I reminded him of the NO SANTA MENTION UNTIL FALL to which he added these last words on the subject… Mom, you won’t say he (Santa) isn’t real because it would make Rhett cry. Reid piped up and declared that he had a test to find out the truth. I am going to invite Santa to my birthday party.   If he comes then we will know that he is real and if he doesn’t then we know he isn’t. Great. So much for the NO SANTA MENTION UNTIL FALL…Reid’s birthday is in June.