Merry Christmas!!!

T-minus one week and counting… is everyone ready? I’ve loaded my Amazon cart at least three times, and I still have stuff left to buy. I’m hoping to get some of those last minute deals… hoping there’s still stuff left on the shelves…

I’ll admit that this year I went a little overboard on the gifts for Big Boy. Mostly because I have a sad feeling that this ma be his last Christmas where he still believes in the big guy in red. He’s 9, and already a lot of the kids in his class at school have given up on that notion. At Big Boy’s last birthday party that was the big issue of debate. They were split 50/50 on the issue. Finally they called me in to put in my two cents.
“I know, let’s ask Ms. Halliday!” they said. “Ms. Halliday, is Santa real or is Santa really our parents?”
Oh boy.
My very diplomatic answer? “I believe in Santa.”
Which had half the kids smirking with an “I told you so grin” and the other half rolling their eyes and shooting me knowing looks.

I remember when I found out the truth about Santa Clause. I was absolutely crushed, in tears, arguing with my mom for a good hour that it wasn’t true. “But what about that letter he wrote?” I protested. Surely that was proof! I mean, it was postmarked “North Pole” - how could my parents have possibly done that?

So, I’ve been dreading the day that Big Boy figures it out. I’ve been so careful. I disguise my handwriting on the gift tags of boxes from Santa. I have special gift wrap that Santa uses to wrap presents that I hide away so he doesn’t recognize it in our closet. I type out a letter to him from Santa on “official north pole” stationary every year.

But this year, I think he’s outsmarted me.

This year I did the bulk of my Christmas shopping online during Baby Boy’s naps. Click, ship – easy. I even got amazing Cyber Monday deals! I was so proud of myself. Only I forgot to clear my history. Along comes Big Boy to borrow my laptop, and he immediately goes to Amazon, checks my cart, my ordering history, and recently viewed pages. Doh! So, um, yeah, he pretty much saw everything that “Santa” is bringing him. On my computer. Sigh.

Well, all I can say is the guy in red had a good run. And I’m already practicing my “I wasn’t lying about Santa, I was preserving your childhood!” speech for Christmas morning. Wish me luck!

And I hope everyone enjoys their holiday of choice this season!!


~Trigger Happy Halliday