It is Christmas, the big holiday for kids in the US. Even though it is not our holiday in our culture, kids going to school here and they believe in Santa. One day, my son came home and told me about Santa giving presents on Christmas Eve. I had mixed feeling, not sure if I should just tell him Santa is not real, or even tell him I have no plan to buy him presents. On the other hands, that's the biggest topic in school among all his classmates: What presents you want to get, what you will be gettting and how many, etc etc.... overtime, I realize I just couldn't impose the Chinese culture upon American born kids: we had to earn presents or pocket money by doing well in school or doing good deeds.
Anyway, my kids are nice, they are not terribly naughty ones. So I decided to buy them Christmas gifts. In the last several weeks, I asked them what they like to have IF Santa really gives them presents. So I had some ideas what they like. On Wednesday, I headed out to Target... I still tried to limit "toys" to them, but instead, puchase things that are practically useful or around education, if possible.
On Christmas Eve, my son asked me: how will Santa come into our house?
Me: Must be from the chimney.
Son: Then you will have to turn off the heater and take it away (we put a electrical heater in the fireplace)
Me: Ok (still having my mixed feeling, because I am lying to kids)
In the evening
Me: Ok, you both have to go to bed early so that Santa can come and deliver the presents. I am putting a empty big bag next to the fireplace, tomorrow morning, you might find the bag full of presents.
Son: Oh, mommy, How will Santa know what I want?
Me: Well, why didn't you write a letter to Santa to tell him? Now it is too late, he may just give you whatever he has with him
Son: I want to write a letter now, can you help me?
Okay. Here is what he wrote:
Dear Santa, I want a start wars toy and a bakugan. And Jennifer wants a princess toy. Thank you. Love, Charles and Jennifer
So, for the very first time, at 8:30, they both went up to the bedroom and laying in bed quietly. After 5 minutes, son got up and asked me: mommy, can I go down to tell daddy something? I will be right back. Without surprise, he went to tell daddy to remember turn off the heater so that Santa can come. Just like this, by 9PM, they both sound and asleep.
This morning. Son got up at 7:00AM, first thing he did, of course, telling his sister: I saw a big red bag, come on, wake up, let's unwrap the presents.. Santa gave us all those!!!
First thing he saw was the Star Wars comforter, he was sooooooooo excited, screaming, repeating: Star wars, star wars, star wars..... the joyful moment would be ALL parents like to see and would do everything for it... What poor parents we are....
one by one, they unwrapped everything, when he saw a cube red Bakugan, that was another exciting moment...... Because he is getting a TOY, finally, Jennifer of course also wants one... I gave her the Barbie 2002 Collection Edition, which was one of my collections, that I got from my best friend and have kept for years... Kids are spoiled... just like this...
And, they believe everything in the big red bag were all from Santa.....
