Wahid proved to himself that there was no Santa Claus when he was just six years old. On Christmas Eve he tied a sock to one of the springs under his bed and in the morning he looked to see if Santa had filled it. He hadn’t so Wahid felt he had proved that Santa didn’t exist.
I have been wondering if I did my kids a bad turn by buying them pretty Christmas stockings. I got Josephine and Domenic ones made this year too.
The problem with them is they never have to dig for a clean sock. I remember that being so much fun.
Oh chaos of a different kind, how I miss you.
http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/2008/12/b-l-d-no-15.html
*artwork D by Elizabeth O. Dulemba
26 comments:
You know what? I did not believe in Santa when I was a child because he was wearing that ridiculously thick outfit so I figured he only visited the children in places that had winter. Besides, we did not have fireplaces. Countries like ours did not have the trappings of western Christmas. Now it is a different story. The power of advertisement! We did not even have television so I just read all about it. The Christmas that I know now, we never knew because ours was spiritual and religious and we did not have a lot of presents. We had, however, a lot of food, we had feasts, oh my and I loved December because we had apples! My mother’s favorite fruit was the apple. Our house was filled with scent of food and every evening we went to church and on Christmas Eve we went at midnight. Our entire family filled a pew. There were 10 of us.
I always received a new pair of shoes for Christmas, a new dress that matched my younger sister’s. One year, I received a toy that had a trigger and when pressed, it released a wheel that rolled forward and rolled back. That was the neatest thing ever! I loved that toy. I can see myself playing with it. My eldest sister gave it to me. We shared a lot of our presents especially the dolls. We exchanged gifts at school and some kids were very poor they gave soap and toothbrushes and toothpaste and sometimes really cheap things and it was a downer to be picked by them but I did not realize until later how they must have felt giving something cheap to someone like Geraldine, that girl I hated because she was so materialistic and made fun of the poor kids. Someone gave me soap and bubble gum and a box of raisins. Oh well, I complained to my mother and she said to be thankful and to put myself on the other kid’s shoes. Hah! I hated those lessons. I was a kid and I wanted toys. Actually I did not really care. I just loved being with my family and helping prepare dinners and special foods. We also had Chinese relatives so we had Chinese delicacies and food that tasted like paper and felt like rubber but they were fun.
I love Christmas. On December 1st, the children wrap a present and give it to the mothers. Christmas was officially started when we had given our first present to our mother.
As a nurse worked every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so the Americans can spend Christmas with their families. The saddest things happened on Christmas Eve and Christmas day – drunk drivers killing innocent people.
I wish everyone a merry, happy, peaceful, loving Christmas.
This is my first Christmas with you Renee, and I love it!
Kids on my sons bus are telling him that Santa doesn't exsist. He's five and his reply was "You are all getting coal and sticks for Chistmas"! I'm so glad he believes in the power of Magic. Wishing you a very magical day and Christmas! xoxo :) Becca
What six-year-old does that?!?! Too funny. I love the little bird ornaments where the hanger looks like a crown upon their heads. May your day be Merry and Bright.
**blows merry kisses** Deb
What? There's no Santa?
Wahid, was probably too smart for his own good. Imagine living with that knowledge as a child.
Love the photo of the birdies. Beautiful ornaments!
Thinking of you and sending my love, hugs, and kisses.
xoxoxoxo
After the age of 9 Christmas had no magic an it anymore due to family stuff. Not so bright and shiny. However, now I attempt to put a little magic back in and my favorite part is the giving.
Renee, I hear you in this post and I will pay more attention to those things that make me angry because I will think, Renee would take this on with joy. I love you.xoxo
Ah yes, how we miss what we think we'd never miss. You are making happy memories for your darling Josephine and Domenic.
The more I hear about Wahid, the more I love him and how he has been your loving partner through so much.
No need to respond to my every comment, dear one. I know you are busy, and I haven't posted anything new on my blog in so long, you must be getting tired of seeing the same old stuff over and over and over (and over).
:0)
Hugs, and love, and angel kisses when you sleep,
xoxoxo
Angela
And not just finding a clean sock, but finding the biggest, stretchiest sock you could!
We never used our own stockings/socks. What a good thing to know about - as children, ours were always special ones, just for Christmas.
Gregg's mother made beautiful needlepoint stockings for David and Katie, and when we moved, I thought we had lost them - heartbreak! So I ordered pretty new ones for them from a catalog...and a year or two later, we found the original ones (of course)! XO
Oh I love your Christmas sock story. How fun to share that with so many sisters. My only sister lives far far away and I see her infrequently. You have shared so many delightful childhood stories with me that I believe I may feel even closer to YOU Renee. thank you
That Wahid was a clever boy, wasn't he?! We always had Christmas stockings, made just for that purpose - I love that you guys used real socks. I vote do both for the grand kids - the more the merrier!!
Loving you, xox
K
Ah but you see Wahid was a scientist even then! Such a carefully constructed experiment ... but I suspect that he was hoping for a very different result. I combat unbelief in the small people I know by sending them the link to NASA's santa tracking site. It's the biz boz and keeps most small ones believing far longer than most. xx Jos
my sons always got one of my hubby's old hiking socks, that was part of the fun, yes i do miss those days, the socks were always more fun than the actual wrapped gifts, i think my son is going to start one with maggie this year...you enjoy it all, you need some fun this year!
What an adorable story! I never had to dig for a sock...but I did believe in Santa. Still do a little. Wink. : )
Ya know, I never had a stocking myself! My great grandmother from Oklahoma would always send my Dad new dress socks at Christmas and come Christmas morning, we had a sock laying on the couch with assorted fruits and candy. Of course, Santa left 1 present under the tree as well.
I remember when I knew 'for a fact' that Santa was Dad. I had gone to bed and my bedroom window led out to the garage. I saw (and heard) 'Santa' out there fighting with a toboggan up in the rafters. I had suspected it for a few years but a part of me truly wanted to still believe... up until this night. haha
Simple times, I miss them too♥
Love, Darla
I'm not sure I ever really cared or knew whether Santa was real or not. To me it was a very special time because it was the only time we got to spend with my mother. And more than and brightly decorated packages under the tree, that was what I wanted most. My only wish would have been able to stop time. So many years later, those are memories that still come to mind every Christmas Season. It is always a treat to visit here Renee. I love the way your posts cause me to reflect on special moments in my life and remember them fondly. Peace to you today Renee.
I told my kids that as soon as they didn't believe in Santa the stocking at the end of the bed would go and all they'd get was a present under the tree just like everyone else. This is the second year that I haven't stuffed a stocking for them at the end of the bed, they are 23 and 25! Boy did they milk that one for all it was worth.
I drug my son's belief in Santa up till he was 10 yrs old...I dressed up in my favorite fur lined coat(fake fur around sleeves, and head)..turned off all the lights so it was just the tree. Then a leaped in front of the tree while my ex husband took the picture. So we could hang onto one more year....He thought we were nuts. Now I bet he misses those days at 16 and rebeling against the world.
So no it does no harm, it keeps hope in creativity, fantasy and smiling spirits. Who knows if folklore isnt the truth, and everyone that stopped believing is what killed what once was. I say keep believing...I do...
xoxoxoxoxo Love ya Lovey..and Thank you for my smile with a postage stamp on it.
xoxoxoxo
I believed in Santa until I was around 11 I think. My mom made my sis and I beautiful big stockings that we would put out the night before and in the morning we would find a large orange in the toe, a delicious apple, hard Christmas candies (remember the Christmas ribbon candy?), a bag of chocolate coins, and nuts, and maybe a box of crayons and/or a small puzzle toy.
I still put my stocking - pink felt with appliques, sequins and embroidery - out every year, although it is no longer filled.
Poor Wahid! And, I'm so glad that you and your sisters used clean stockings for your Santa visit, especially with those candies not being wrapped! LOL
xxoo
Fox at eleven is trying very hard to hang onto the belief that there is a Santa..I am more than happy to let him. Somehow the loss of that changes the magic. Of course Nonni is in her believing prime! Love it!!
I think I was 11 myself when I figured it out..but I was the baby. I do love the fun of being an elf though!!
We always had stockings...I keep thinking I will have time to create beautiful new ones for all..just never get to it. At the moment I have knitting blisters..giggle. Been making cuffs for the big girls and leg warmers for Nonni!
Wonderful post hon! Love you, Sarah
Dirty socks never work..trust me on this one.
And why does the girl in the white gown have to use a dirty sock from one of her siblings?
I think I know who's hoping Santa brings more socks!
i love lunch this time around. those birdie ornaments are just precious.
i can't get over your sock story. i'd never heard of that before. my brother and i had big red felt stockings and they were filled every christmas morning with slinkies and nail polish and dollar bills and wind up toys and maybe an orange and definitely chocolate.
i've carried on the tradition of stockings. it's my favorite part of the holiday. my family fills them with little gifts that confirm we know one another, what we each like and will make us smile.
i was thinking today that this is only the first christmas i've known you, renee. that surprises me: it seems like you've been a part of my life for a long time.
i think you should be receiving a holiday package tomorrow or the next day. i hope it makes you smile.
you're the best moon sister a girl could have....
This tickled me. LOL My kids all went for their stocking before gifts, they thought they had struck gold with them. Funny thing young son tonight was talking about the year the "Santa" did the stockings instead of "Mrs Santa". Even as old as they are they still grab those stocking first, their faces look like they did when they were little, big grins and glowing.
(((HUGS)))
I believed in Santa for the longest time...and somtimes, I find that I still do.
I remember one specific Christmas where my parents were worried that we were going to have one. They took us kids over to grams and gramps for dinner. When we arrived home, there were presents piled high around and under the tree. I remember seeing the look on my parents face. Even THEY were shocked. To this day, no one knows where those presents came from.
Well, even if children don't believe in Santa, Christmas is still a time to dream, hope, and believe. I'd like to think that no matter what my situ, I will find it in me to always do so.
Love you! Hugs!
I love stockings. I got one that looks like a high-heeled Victorian boot last year, but the kids didn't want to use it because they said it looked witchy.
My mother was just telling me about the one year when her family spent Christmas in a refugee camp in a war-torn country. Her younger brother, who was nine at the time, folded his clothes into a neat pile in hopes that Santa would leave presents under them (that's what they did in lieu of stockings then). But my grandmother had no idea that he did that, so in the morning, he was very, very disappointed. Broke my heart to hear it.
Oh I love this and your linked post... There is magic in Christmas! His stocking might have appeared empty to the naked eye, but to a soulful one, it was filled to the top with Peace, Joy, Love and Hope.... Those are the gifts of Christmas that can't ever be given back... They stay with you forever... Sometimes hidden by the sinister dark side of the Holidays, but always there, a burning ember waiting, wanting to once again burn Bright in ones Soul. May your Christmas stockings be Filled with Peace, Love, Joy and Hope and may you blow on your ember and renew its Bright and Eternal Light. Blessings to you and yours. Love and Light, Nina P
yes, gentle chaos
xo
erin
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