Letters To Saint Nicholas

So here we are...the final week leading into Christmas. I can't get over it. As long as I can remember, I start to get really excited about Christmas right around the week before Thanksgiving. I still love Christmas. Now things are different now that I have my own family. I get more excited at watching my Madore-ables opening up their presents. I love everything about it: the Christmas music; the preparing with decorating the tree; the brainstorming of what Christmas card are we going to do this year; the shopping; keeping quiet about my presents for Jeremy.

Since Jeremy and I have started our family, we thought it should be important to start some traditions for Christmas. Last year, we decided to start a new tradition that the Madore-ables can open up 1 present on Christmas Eve after church...shhh, don't tell the girls but we decided to buy them matching Christmas pj's to wear overnight and wear for opening up presents on Christmas morning. (Plus, the photographer geek in me can have some uniformity in my photos when we take pictures on Christmas morning, ha ha).

This year, we're going to start something new: Saint Nicholas is Santa Claus and Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas. Growing up, all I heard was Santa Santa Santa. There was no sacredness in Christmas because commercialism took over. I understand that everybody has their own views, and their own beliefs. I'm just saying that this is what Jeremy and I believe and this is how we want our girls to learn a valuable lesson. Jeremy and I want the Madore-ables to know what the real reason for Christmas is so why not start now? We're trying to teach the Madore-ables to share their toys and share with one another...so what better example to lead? To us, Christmas is not all about Santa Claus, and it's not all about the presents. I totally admit that the element of surprise, and the magic of miracles is awesome. We are acknowledging that they do exist, but there is more to Christmas. We've been teaching Samantha (and eventually Sarah too when she's old enough to understand) that Saint Nicholas was a real person who did exist in Europe years ago and shared many gifts to good little boys and girls. He dedicated his life to giving and sharing which is why (our beliefs) he was named "Saint Nicholas" because only truly good people can be named a saint. We want the Madore-ables to know and understand that Christmas is not all about receiving gifts...even though the surprise element is fun I do admit, but we want them to learn that Christmas is about sharing and giving.

The other night, Samantha, Jeremy and I decided that we should write a letter to Saint Nicholas. We thought it would give Samantha the chance to sit down and quietly put her thoughts together as to what she would like for Christmas this year. Jeremy and I felt that writing a letter to Saint Nick can be compared to saying a prayer. Whether you're speaking words or saying them onto paper, it's still a wish. Samantha seems to understand that just because she asks for it, and just because you pray for it, doesn't mean that it's going to happen. It gives us an idea on what the girls would like for Christmas.

We felt that Samantha's requests were very reasonable and so very thoughtful. It's amazing that a three year old can teach me and remind me about the simple things especially when we're rushing around getting everything ready for Christmas. This is why I love my Madore-ables...even though there is craziness and temper tantrums that brew in our house, there's also innocence and love. So I thank you Sam for remind me that.

Here's Samantha's "letter" to Saint Nicholas/Santa:

• My own Chapstick - Vanilla with a blue wrapper like Mommy's
• Candy Canes for Daddy
• A sticker book
• A notebook like Steve has on the show "Blue's Clue's" with a special pen
• A choo choo train - A yellow one for me and a green one for Sarah
• Ice skates