The holiday season is in full swing. There are cranky people everywhere just waiting to push past you on the street, jump in front of you in line at the mall and sneer in utter unhappiness at the slightest...well, ANYTHING. I don't know why this season seems to bring out the worst in people. Seriously. If buying gifts makes you THAT unhappy - STOP. BUYING. GIFTS. It's not that hard! Your kids are taught what to think of the holidays, they don't need that expensive toy or a room full of crap. It is the parent's job to show them why.
In the spirit of the season, I do give a couple of gifts. Our parents, my nephew, Mr. Penguin and the girls (as well as a few Secret Santas). Which brings us to our new predicament...Santa. With Monkey's speech delay, we never brought up the story of Santa and how he supposedly comes to the house, as she didn't have the vocabulary and we didn't want to scare her. So until school, where she is now learning about Santa, she just knew that we bought each other gifts and opened them on Xmas day. And that Santa could be found at the mall. However, Baby Penguin will be coming up next year on when kids are normally taught about Santa. But we're not sure we WANT to start Santa at our house. I don't want to lie to my kids, I don't want to give gifts from someone else, and I definitely don't want Xmas to become about GIFTS.
At the Penguin household during the Xmas season, we bake: cookies, muffins, cakes, bread - anything we feel like. We cook: spaghetti, chili, casseroles and pasta dishes. We donate: our time, our money, our toys, our clothes. We cherish: each other, our friends, our family,and what we have. But most of all, we create: drawings, paintings, things out of play doh, blanket forts, play picnics, whatever we feel like! We choose to use the holiday season to spend time with our girls and experience the joy that can be had during this holiday season.
On Xmas Day, I like to give my girls colouring books, art supplies, books and usually one toy each. This year the baby is getting a soft chair for the toy room, a colouring book and a stuffed puppy - with crate and accessories to take care of it - to prep her for the puppy we may be getting next year. Monkey is getting 4 books, Play Doh, some toy cars (she's obsessed) and a storage case to store them in - to help her learn to organize her smaller toys. That is it. There will be The Grinch movie, a wonderful breakfast by Mr. Penguin and tons of snuggles on December 26th this year (Monkey has Xmas with her father, so we'll be celebrating late). It all sounds wonderful to me. Even if the girls had no gifts under the tree, I know for a fact that it would still be an amazing day at our house. <3
So, did you pass the tradition of Santa and gift giving on to your kids (or will you)? How do you celebrate the holidays? What is your favorite thing about December that just makes your heart soar?
Happy Holidays!
*hugs*
Well, we don't have kids yet, but I'm pretty sure we'll do the Santa thing. But Santa more as the spirit of giving and sharing than anything else.
ReplyDeleteI don't think though, by not having Santa, that your girls are missing out. The season isn't about a man, but it is a season of sharing and giving - whether that be to each other or those who are in need. And as long as your girls know that, which is sounds like they're learning, that's what matters.
Sounds like your girls are going to have an amazing Christmas! Merry Christmas to your family!
We never had Santa in our house either. Instead, we learned about St. Nicholas, and the history behind "Santa", as a kind old man who helped needy children. Nothing was ever addressed "From Santa". In fact, I don't even remember it too much. It was never really emphasized, so it wasn't even a big deal.
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