Santa

After Kt's slumber party was over and all the girls had gone home to get some sleep, we took to the girls to our local pottery place, The Studio at Fulton, to get a picture with "Santa". Em confessed to me before we went that she was a little nervous. She asked me if it was the real Santa and I told her it was likely one of his "helpers". "One of his elves?" she inquired. I agreed, that was likely. She then said, "So, this is not the one who goes to the mall?"

I had to laugh. She is so different from Kt. Em is definitely a analytical thinker, but her focus is very different from Kt. Where Kt will question what she believes, Em only questions about what she believes. When Kt was in kindergarten, her teacher was furious with me because she overheard a conversation where she presumed Kt had broken the news to her class that Santa was not real. In discussing this with Kt that very same day, it turns out she was thinking aloud, wondering if anyone in the class had ever wondered if it was possible for one man to fly around the world in one night to bring toys to every child in every country of the earth. It was not a statement, it was a question. She wasn't getting the right answer from adults, so she turned to her peers! LOL

Em, on the other hand, believes in Santa (for now). Her questions revolve around not if he's real but every last detail of his life. What does he feed his reindeer? Do they get cold on the North Pole? Does Santa actually make any of the gifts? or does he just buy them when he gets here? She was totally OK with Santa sending gifts here early so we can take them down to Savannah. She figured as long as he gets the here on time, it really doesn't matter how!! She loves that Santa shops on Amazon.....

Wait a minute!! On first glance, Em seems a simplistic, average five year old kindergartener, but when I probe a bit deeper I find an amazingly keen and deceptive young con-artist!! This is a child who will go along with any story just to make the parents happy, but deep down, she knows the truth. She has done this before, not interested in upsetting the status quo. If we all believe in Santa, she must as well. Truth be told, she's knows something's up!!

So there we are, at the The Studio, and Santa is none other than the pastor that married T and I. Bringing our children to him was fun, and he soon realized that one of our little children was completely intrigued by him. She stood next to him for a picture, studied his beard and glasses, giggled at his funny jokes and loved hanging out with him. While we painted our ceramic ornaments, I asked the girls what they told Santa they wanted for Christmas. Em looked right at me, shrugged her shoulders and said, "He didn't even ask!!!" Uh oh, a Santa who didn't care what you wanted?? I thought for sure she would finally fess up, but instead she said.... well, nothing!

Sometimes, it's the silence that reveals the most. In fact, not only didn't she anything, but she never brought it up again. And Kt? Well, we have never really confirmed or denied the truth about Santa, but we have always instilled in her the "idea" of Santa, and the giving of good gifts. We have always recognized that the giver of the greatest gift is God Himself, the greatest gift, His Son and the reason why we celebrate Christmas. During this season, being a "Santa" is practicing what was taught to us on that first Christmas and remembering that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

On the way out of the pottery shop, I told Kt who Santa was and she laughed, loved being in on a little secret. At this point, I think it would have ruined the whole experience for Em, but soon she will be in on our little secrets. I can tell it won't be long now. I mean, if Santa shops on Amazon, who needs elves, right?