Santa Claus is Dead!!!

Well it’s back to work for me. I didn’t have the luxury of an extended holiday break. But, I think I’m doing better than my wife, who I suspect is slowly going mad, trying to entertain the kids during Christmas vacation. Hopefully you all had a great Christmas holiday. Mine was okay. It didn’t quite live up to the vision I had, but was nice none the less. The biggest challenge was our household being overrun by illness. My step-son was the most severe of group and kept my wife (who was also sick) on edge most of the weekend with his cough induced vomiting and lack of appetite. I felt sleep deprived due to waking up in the middle of the night to help administer breathing treatments or clean-up vomit. However, the wife and I pulled it together and upheld our holiday promises to the kids. Santa arrived on Christmas Eve, as expected, and the children seemed to enjoy their gifts. The night took an unfortunate turn when my youngest daughter started mentioning, with disappointment, the things that she didn’t receive; all while standing next to the tower of gifts that Santa brought her. This occurred a mere day after she embarrassed me at my mother-in-law’s house, by acting unappreciative of some of the gifts she received there. I had a stern talk with her on the way home about being a considerate, grateful, thoughtful and gracious receiver of gifts. So I was very disappointed about this development that occurred on Christmas Eve. I sent her to her room and collected my thoughts for a moment. I recalled being her age, and loving the act of opening presents. It was exciting to me. But I remember appreciating the gifts I received, and never really felt like I wanted for anything. I joined my daughter in her room and I did it…I killed Santa Claus. I felt like her greed was overshadowing the magic of Santa and the meaning of Christmas, and it would do her a disservice to allow it to continue. I explained to her that the gifts under the tree were provided by the hard work and sacrifices of her dad and step-mother, not some jolly fat-guy dressed in red. I further explained that she was so lucky to have what she does and there are so many less fortunate people. I also tried to make clear that this lesson isn’t just for Christmas but for everyday of your life. If you live your life around material possessions, you will never be happy because there is always something bigger, brighter, faster, etc. I stopped short of using her biological mom, by name, as a perfect example of how being self-centered blinds a person from enjoying the simplicities of life and the things they have. Plus, since the individual only thinks of themselves, they have very few friends and tend to exist in a state of unhappiness and loneliness with only their possessions, and the drive to get more things, to keep them company. Maybe these concepts are too advanced for an 8 year old to fully grasp, but I feel like it is important to at least “plant the seed” and try to reinforce the message.

For all that went wrong with the holiday, I was able to keep things in perspective. Last year during Christmas, my first (starter) marriage was breathing its last dying breaths. I felt unloved, unappreciated, and both physically and mentally exhausted. With the exception of impending divorce, I was uncertain what the new year had in store for me. This year started rough but it eventually brought me more happiness than I thought possible. I’ve written before about how fortunate I feel and even though my new family’s first Christmas together was less than perfect, I still feel that way. I think about how far our family has come in such a short amount of time and it is pretty amazing really. Life isn’t always easy and sometimes doesn’t measure up to our expectations, but that’s okay. The fact that I feel so loved and needed, makes it’s easy to maintain a positive attitude. I think my attitude helps me to be a better husband, father, and all around person. So, here is hoping you had a great Christmas and you’re granted many blessings in 2007….Until next time.