Early December I was asked to sign a permission slip allowing Francis to learn about all the different holidays at school this month…Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. I happily signed not knowing what I might be setting myself up for. A few weeks ago he came home inquiring about Hanukkah and unfortunately I had few answers. I hate to say it, but I know little about Hanukkah. I improvised. “Hanukkah, like advent? is 25 days”. “No it’s not it’s 8 days” Francis corrected me.
A few days later. Francis: “where’s OUR Menorah?” oh no! Menorah? What Menorah. “We don’t have a Menorah, we’re not Jewish. We celebrate Christmas. Christmas with Mary, Joseph, Jesus and SANTA”, I said. Most importantly Santa.
Anyway throughout the month more questions about Hanukkah. To the point that Francis declared, ” I celebrate Hanukkah, I’m Jewis.” Jewis? Chris and I looked at each other confused. Holidays were never this complicated when we were little. Santa came and we said awesome!
Here we were a week before Christmas and Francis had decided he was Jewis and he celebrated Hanukkah (Menorah or not). We were fine with that and assumed Christmas and Santa would arrive as usual. Until Dec. 23 and Francis announced “there’s no Santa”. What!
No Santa. I ignored the statement and immediately took Francis to the nearest mall to sit in Santa’s lap. Then again Christmas eve eve Francis, “Santa is not real”. OMG. oh well what to do. I guess if I’m saying there is no Menorah someone else is saying there is no Santa.
I had at least four Christmases with a real Santa, and as much as I want Francis to learn about Hanukkah and kwanzaa, and possibly celebrate these holidays one day, for now I want him to know Santa. Santa was real for me as a four year old and I think that is special, Polar Express style. Just BELIEVE! There are many Christmases Francis and Beckett will have without Santa we don’t need to start yet. Like the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy, they are all real when you’re four!
Christmas 2009
Luckily Santa still came and next year when I have to sign the permission slip, in asterisks I’m going to say please, please tell my boy there is a Santa!
Christmas 2009