"Reminicing the Holidays Past"
It’s funny that I can remember things way back when I was a child, but can’t remember something I may have done an hour ago or can’t remember a word or two in a sentence when talking to someone. I guess you might say my long-term memory is great but can’t say much for my short-term memory.
I have such warm memories of the holidays when I was a child. “The Night Before Christmas” was a regular part of the holiday season. In fact it became real to me because I believed that once I fell asleep on Christmas eve, I would be able to reach up and grab one of the sugar plums dancing in my head and would always be surprised when I didn’t have any the next morning.
Back then there was no Santa Mouse, no Mrs. Santa Clause and we didn’t leave a snack for Santa. We were rushed to bed with the idea in mind that if we didn’t go to sleep, Santa wouldn’t leave us presents or if we were bad we would get a piece of coal or ashes in our Christmas Stocking.
My dad eventually became a Saturday Sabbath keeper and we began attending a church with strict rules and were taught that it was a sin to celebrate Christmas. We were no longer allowed to have a tree decorated but our parents would wake us up in the middle of the night to give us gifts instead of the next morning.
Even though our parents told us about the tooth fairy, which was another beautiful time in my life, awaking up the next morning after loosing a tooth to find that the tooth fairy had left a nickel under our pillow or knowing that if we didn’t go to sleep when our parents put us to bed, the sand man would come and put sand in our eyes to make us fall asleep.
Today, many people believe it to be wrong to “lie” to your children about Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, etc. They believe that somehow this would be harmful to their children. I believe that having these little fairy tales in my life actually made me enjoy being a child, and I have grown into a normal adult. Although I do understand the religious belief that these things can become more meaningful to kids than God and that is definitely wrong.
It was fun for me to provide Christmas for my children and I believe they also have fond memories of the holidays.
I have such warm memories of the holidays when I was a child. “The Night Before Christmas” was a regular part of the holiday season. In fact it became real to me because I believed that once I fell asleep on Christmas eve, I would be able to reach up and grab one of the sugar plums dancing in my head and would always be surprised when I didn’t have any the next morning.
Back then there was no Santa Mouse, no Mrs. Santa Clause and we didn’t leave a snack for Santa. We were rushed to bed with the idea in mind that if we didn’t go to sleep, Santa wouldn’t leave us presents or if we were bad we would get a piece of coal or ashes in our Christmas Stocking.
My dad eventually became a Saturday Sabbath keeper and we began attending a church with strict rules and were taught that it was a sin to celebrate Christmas. We were no longer allowed to have a tree decorated but our parents would wake us up in the middle of the night to give us gifts instead of the next morning.
Even though our parents told us about the tooth fairy, which was another beautiful time in my life, awaking up the next morning after loosing a tooth to find that the tooth fairy had left a nickel under our pillow or knowing that if we didn’t go to sleep when our parents put us to bed, the sand man would come and put sand in our eyes to make us fall asleep.
Today, many people believe it to be wrong to “lie” to your children about Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, etc. They believe that somehow this would be harmful to their children. I believe that having these little fairy tales in my life actually made me enjoy being a child, and I have grown into a normal adult. Although I do understand the religious belief that these things can become more meaningful to kids than God and that is definitely wrong.
It was fun for me to provide Christmas for my children and I believe they also have fond memories of the holidays.
posted by The Gig at 8:19 PM
7 Comments:
I agree - Santa & the tooth fairy make childhoods happy!
Thats a hard one. Weve decided to down play Santa, the easter bunny and that stuff. I might be wrong, but it seems confusing to teach your kids that these things exist, only to burst their bubble and then tell them they don't exist, but on the same note, tell them that God, whom you can't see at all does exist. With K, he thinks that Santa Claus is the guy at the mall. We put his gifts out under the tree on Christmas night, but don't offer any explanation. When he eventually asks, well tell him that we put the gifts out, and I think he'll be just as excited anticipating his gifts. I didn't know grandpa actually allowed you to have gifts.
Remember, we did the Santa with S, and she started talking about praying to Santa. I was turned off to Santa after that.
Buck: That's pretty good thinking on your part. You have a good head on your shoulders when it comes to parenting. I never thought of it that way I guess because I came up the old fashion way. I must take into consideration that things have changed and so have people.
Wow, I didn't know that S wanted to pray to Santa. I have never heard of that before. Thanks for enlightening me. Wow, that is deep.
Things have really changed, but I agree they do make childhood wonderful. great post Mz. G.
My mother made Santa into a metaphor. Of course Santa exists. He exists through me! So I am 32, and I am still told to go to bed or Santa will not bring his gifts!
And it is the one day of the year I still like to get up early and wake everyone else up.
Hmm... I think it should be okay to tell your kids about things like these, as long as you can get them to understand that God is more important...
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