What a season

Sean and one of his friends at church were shepherds this year in the play.

It's the joy of childhood, that freedom to imagine and dream and believe. Christmas.
Sean knows we celebrate this holiday because we are Christians, and we give gifts because we are so happy that God sent Jesus for us.

I remember being quite mad about the whole Santa Claus thing as a kid, and didn't want my kids to havethat experience. But the whole of American society, as well as others, seem to live through the disappointment. That magic, the time of believing, forms some of our favorite memories of childhood.

Last year we used NoradSanta to track him as he flew closer to our house. Sean remembered that and asked early on this month if we could track him yet. The excitement has been building.

Santa called him last week. He knew that Sean had been working at the food bank, and he talked to him for a few minutes on the phone about what he wished to have under the tree on Christmas morning. This has been a HUGE thing. For a few minutes just after he hung up the phone he started to quiz me. He wondered if a family member had been behind the whole thing, or maybe I had told someone to call. In the end he decided it had to be the real deal.
Then he immediately called family members to tell them Santa had called.

Once he made his round of calls, I asked what he and Santa had talked about. He said an elf got on the phone too, and sounded "about this big" as he motioned with his hand above the table about a foot high.
As the week has progressed, he has revealed more of the conversation.

At first he only said that Santa said he was working on his toy and he could expect it under the tree. He wants a Star Wars Republic Gunship. I was interested in talking to Santa sometime soon, because those things are quite expensive, and they are "out of stock," everywhere I have looked. I now see them going for $300 + online. It seems every day Sean has said, "Santa said I could expect it under the tree. He didn't mention any problem."

Today Sean told me Santa said the reindeer only need one carrot because they can share. And he has had a problem with them eating the cookies, which are his favorite, of course.

It has been such a fun Christmas season this year. He totally enjoys Christmas music. Until this year his favorite Christmas song has been "Noel." His favorite this year is "Oh Holy Night." LOVES it, and asks me to turn up the radio when it comes on. It is also on the movie "Home Alone," and he has watched that several times -- maybe more than several.

He loves "It's a Wonderful Life," and has watched it over and over too. Tonight he said his favorite part is when George is in the cemetery. I'm not sure why, unless he thought that would freak me out.
But he asked a couple of questions about the story and when I explained that the grave stone was George's brother's, because if George had never been born, his brother would have died, Sean suddenly said, "Oh! I get it." Then he explained it back to me, and realized that he wouldn't have been there to save him when he fell through the ice.

I've been able to sit and watch some of these movies with him. We started early and ordered a lot through Netflix. We watched the Charlie Brown Christmas, which we own, and The Grinch, and we got Frosty and Rudolph. When he watches them a second time I've been off to work at my desk. Deadlines. I'm almost finished.

I hope we can make some cookies and bake at least one apple pie in the next couple of days.
Christmas Eve we will participate in the service at our church.

I think this is the most full Advent Season we've ever had. It has been filled with lots of church activities and a lot of being at home, listening to music and decorating, watching movies that we watch each year, and enjoying the time we have together.

 We haven't been shopping. I took him to see Santa at the Mall, but I don't think we even bought anything, except the pictures.