What's Up With Santa??

Hello Friends, 

I'm cozied up watching a Christmas movie while Easton naps. This morning Nora joined Cale and I to the rink and instead of just daddy having practice, we all got on the ice! This is Nora's third year and she LOVES it. I need to take her more often! 

friends joined :)

So, Santa. I remember a conversation I had with Cale Christmas of 2007. We were sitting on the couch, my feet tucked under his leg as we talked about one day having kids and how we would approach Christmas. We had different thoughts about it, but neither of us knew exactly what we wanted our plan to be. Fast forward several years and we were parents. Nora's first Christmas she was so little and just loved the lights. Her next Christmas she understood a little more about Christmas and although I had some wrestling of what our plan was with Santa, I just didn't know. 

Why was Santa such a big deal? Why did I put so much pressure on whether or not I was going to tell my daughter about him?

Guys, the deal with Santa is close to the "to vaccinate or not" conversation. Mommas have some strong opinions on whether they include him or not. 

I didn't realize it was such a hot topic and let me just say, I didn't feel super strong in my thoughts. 

So, I wavered. Back and forth not knowing his place.

The first thing I knew was that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus. 

The second thing I knew was that I love Christmas time. 

One of my friends said to me several weeks ago, "Just decide!" 

As you read this, you may have dealt with this years ago when your kids were little and you loved what you chose or maybe you wish you would have done it differently. 

Some of you are in the middle of it like I am and you either know exactly what you as a family are choosing OR you still don't know. 

I have finally decided and I'm pretty confident. You may not agree-and I'm ok with that. :)

For the Darling's, this is where we landed with Santa...

We love Christmas time in our home, like really love it. 

There's lots of conversation in "church world" about how we add too much into Christmas with our kids- and what we need is to teach Jesus.

I agree. We do. 

I also want to focus on Jesus every single day. 

As we discuss Christmas, we discuss Jesus. 

As we celebrate Valentine's Day, we celebrate Jesus. 

As we enjoy the flowers blooming in Spring, we enjoy Jesus. 

As we experience the warmth of the sun during the summer; swimming, playing outside, eating popsicles- we experience Jesus. 

When the leaves start to turn and we can once again start going for cooler walks again, we once again talk about Jesus. 

We talk about Jesus everyday in our home because He is life. He is the source of our joy and the reason we can talk to our Father. 

He is our Savior.

So, Santa, the guy with the white beard, he is welcome to be a part of Christmas. Rudolph and Frosty and the excitement of presents, they can join too. 

Does Santa bring all the gifts, nah. I don't want him to have the credit of the best gifts. Ha! 

But can we enjoy going to see him? Yes, yes we can.

He's a character at Christmas. 

We'll even one day learn about the real St. Nick but for now, we just enjoy all the Christmas things because they're fun AND as always, Jesus is the center of all we do. 

When Santa came and sat next to us, he looked at Nora and immediately said "and what would you like young lady? A doll? A barbie? An American Doll?" Nora gave him a little look and responded, "how about a dinosaur?" 

After he left, I talked with Nora about how cool it is that Jesus knows her and knows all the things she likes and doesn't like. He wouldn't just guess she likes dolls, He knows dinosaurs make her light up!

Friends, the point of all of this is that God's word says in Deuteronomy to teach our kiddos diligently. We should talk about Him and the Word when we sit, when we walk, when we lie down and when we rise- this is always! In everything we do. 

Kids are kids and I think for our family, letting them being excited about the things that are just for fun-well, I think it's ok. 

I don't plan to sit and have a "Girlfriend, Santa is NOT real" conversation. We'll let it play out and take it one year at a time. 

We're also not talking about him every day and hounding it in that she needs to be good so Santa will bring her gifts. 

We're just...enjoying all the Christmas fun. :) 

We had a birthday party for Jesus at Community Group the other night. That afternoon Nora helped bake the cake and then frost it. Easton wanted in on the action and even though he was able to taste a little of what was cut of the bottom layer, he wanted more. 

When Sissy say's not to touch the cake!