Once every year, the atmosphere everywhere is jolly and of good tidings. It’s accompanied by snow and the sweet smell of early morning pancakes. Kids gather round the tree in anticipation of boxes of gifts, ready to be unwrapped to the delight of the young ones. Yes, you guessed it, it’s Christmas season!
Visiting Santa Claus is one of those memories from childhood that never lost any of its magical glow; even as I learned the truth about that fabled man who flew with reindeers. It was fun and to get dressed up in the seasonal red and white clothing. Mum even let us skip school to go visit Grandma (the gift that keeps on giving).
A sugar-sweet breakfast, sitting under the giant green tree topped with probably the biggest star you’ll ever see. Golden balls of beautiful round shaped coupled with garlands that glittered. A thing of beauty. Then the highlight of the day, visiting the white bearded man who had a big belly and a funny laughter and no I’m not talking about any of my old uncles. It’s the big man himself, Santa!
The weird thing (and probably sad thing) about traditions is that with time, they get old. That’s the case now that I’ve become a parent. The old mall where we visited Santa is now of a different purpose. The candy stores from childhood are now extinct. So, it was time to create a new experience for the kids.
No, it’s not what you think, I definitely did not dress up as Santa (as tempting as that could be). The kids still get dressed up though, there are new “acting Santas” who the kids visit and sit on their laps waiting for the gifts, and the final touch on that special day was a special lunch at McDonald’s. The kids loved it—really, the Happy Meal toy was probably the day’s highlight.
Okay, so it’s not as elegant as what I experienced, but it’s the joy that matters and that’s the reason for the season.
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POSTED IN: ENTERTAINING THEM · TAGGED: CHRISTMAS RITUALS, CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS, CHRISTMAS WITH KIDS, FAMILY RITUAL, HOLIDAYS, SANTA CLAUS