Not long after Halloween ended this year, I asked G what she wanted to ask Santa to bring her for Christmas.
Lay off me, Thanksgiving Purists, we all know Thanksgiving is the middle child of holidays and I wanted to get a jump on my shopping.
“I want…I want…I want…”
Her little voice trailed off in the back seat of the car, seemingly unsure of what direction to go. She’s oh so close to being 3 years old and this is the first “gift” holiday where she’s old enough to have an opinion on what she’d like.
I tried to help her out with a suggestion of what I thought she wanted (play kitchen items)…
“How about a…”
But before I could verbalize my idea, her little voice came through, crystal clear, and oh so very sure.
“I know, I know, I know! I want a CLOCK and a CHRISTMAS TREE!”
Well. Didn’t see that coming.
“A clock, honey? Are you sure? And you know, our family will put up a Christmas tree before Santa comes! It’s not really something he brings.”
But in spite of my questioning, she stood firm. For weeks. And was delighted when we put up a Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving — and that she got to decorate one just for her room.
(See, Turkey day does have some reverence in our house. I’m not a total monster.)
Oh, and if you think that means that she didn’t want a Christmas tree anymore, you’d be wrong. She quickly noted that her brother doesn’t have one in his room, and she wants Santa to bring him one. Be still my heart.
Luckily, Amazon Prime Santa was poised to deliver. A digital clock, and a clock puzzle, oh – and a potty watch, just for good measure, arrived on our doorstep (and a small, spare tree was procured).
But just recently, as the days til Christmas are winding down and Amazon’s Santa’s elves are running low on Prime-eligible stock, she changed her mind.
I suppose that’s her prerogative.
“Mama? I not want a clock anymore. I want a tutu.”
“Well baby, we went and saw Santa, remember? And you told him you wanted a clock?”
“Yeah, but now I want a tutu! Please I ask Santa to get me a tutu so I can be so pretty for ballet class?”
She never says “please” in the correct place. And I’m not sure I’ll ever correct her. It’s much sweeter this way.
And how, pray tell, is Santa supposed to refuse a request like that?
“Yes baby, we can write a letter to Santa so he knows you’d like a tutu, too”.
The “tutu, too” phrasing sent her into giggle fits. And I smiled because I knew it would.
Her requests are simple. Her heart is so pure.
And if a tutu is what it takes to bring Magic to her Christmas, well, then I’m going to make that happen.
And all the clocks are showing up as well, because Santa likes to have his bases covered.
