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December 28, 2010

How We Single Handedly Almost Ruined Christmas AND Created A Real Life Grinch

For weeks my son has been talking about Christmas, Santa and the party at my Sister's house. We took him to see Santa at the mall and he got to tell Santa everything he wanted on his list........the conversation took almost 10 minutes. Then at his school's Christmas party Santa showed up and Lex was again able to tell him what he wanted. So imagine how excited he was when it was Christmas Eve and we were on our way to my Sister's house for her annual Christmas Eve party. We ate, we played, we had fun and ate some more. Lex was in high spirits and just could not wait to open his presents. Finally my Sister told him to go find his gifts under the tree and get ready to open them. He was ecstatic!!! He found 3 and looked a bit bewildered. I heard him say "Where are the rest?", but thought nothing of it. Then he began opening his gifts. The presents he got were not what he wanted, what he had on his list. They we things my Sister had bought for him, little things. A coloring book, a Monchhichi and some SpongeBob bath bubbles. That's when it happened......Lex had a complete meltdown. All he kept saying was....'None of this stuff was on my list. Where's my science kit?" O_O Of course he's asking for the one thing we didn't get him. We tried explaining to him that Santa would be at our house soon, after he was asleep and when he woke up there would be presents. He said "All I really want is a science kit! This is a terrible Christmas!!" and he cried. What on Earth were we supposed to do?!?!?! Not only wasn't he understanding what we were saying, that it wasn't even Christmas yet, but we didn't get him a science kit!!!! Kevin and I decided to leave right then and there to make it to the book store to get that damn science kit he wanted so badly and to get him away from his cousins who were all opening a ton of gifts. He seemed to be doing a little better once we left, Kevin was able to get that damn science kit and we got home early enough so Kevin could get the wrapping done. While Kevin was in the basement I asked Lex if he wanted to put the reindeer food out with me. "Sure" was his response and he didn't look happy at all. I gave him the plate and told him to scatter it on the ground.....he just tossed it on the ground and walked back inside looking like someone had just kicked his kitten. While I was getting things ready for bedtime I noticed he had taken my decorated wine box and was filling it with small toys. After it was filled he came to me and asked if he could have a bow. I gave him one and watched as he put the bow on, placed the box under the tree and then said "There. Now I have a presents under the tree." and he started crying again, then he looked out the widow and said "This is just the terrible Christmas ever. Santa didn't bring anything on my list". I have never seen something as pathetic and as cute as that in my entire life. He thought Santa had forgotten him, or that he brought him the wrong toys. It was just awful. Kevin and I decided to give all the kids something small before bed in hopes that it would cheer him up a little. We explained that on Christmas Eve the children get to open a gift from their Moms and Dads. So we gave Lola her Pillow Pet (which was obviously the best present ever!), Raven her pjs and Lex his little delorean with a mini Marty McFly in it. He loved it! He went to bed with a smile on his face and saying he loved us.

I was not ok though. I thought for sure that we had somehow traumatized our son, turned him into a real life Grinch. He would never forget "The most terrible Christmas ever". We didn't do a good enough job of explaining the whole Santa thing. All night I kept asking my husband..."Do you think he's going to be happy?!", he thought I was worrying for nothing. And he was right. Christmas morning was great! He was so surprised with all his gifts under the tree, he kept saying "Santa DID come!!! He left lots of presents!! I hope he brought my list!!!" :) Now, I know there will be some people who read this and think to themselves that our kid is spoiled, Christmas isn't about presents, we shouldn't lie to him about Santa.....shut up. He is only 4 and just doesn't get it yet. Next year will be different. How do I know? I've done this before, Raven was the same way. She didn't really "get it" until she was 5, then it was all good. We teach our kids that Christmas is about family, love, being together and yes, Santa. Santa comes to your house and leaves you presents on Christmas Eve. It's magical, it's wonderful and I think it is very important to keep the magic in their lives as long as we can. They grow up so fast and I want them to remember their childhood as fun and, well, magical. :) I love the word MAGICAL!!!!

So that was our almost "Terrible Christmas Ever", but we made it through and our kids were thankful and very, very happy about the things they got. And so was Mommy.....that's a post for tomorrow. So many gorgeous pictures to show off from all my new camera toys!! :D

2 thoughts:

Moooooog35 said...

You realize that, in a week, he's going to accidentally scientifically disprove the existence of Santa with that kit, anyway.

Way to go, mom.

* The MOM said...

LOL!! Actually, he just wants to make things explode. His exact words. We're in trouble.