Darth Vader Christmas

I have to share this story that Jeff wrote for school. He did it without any help. It's funny because it's about Star Wars, but I am amazed by the fact that it is a complete story with a beginning, middle and end and a hint of a plot. Here it is:

Darth Vader Christmas

It was christmas in star wars land. All the people and ships were redey. All things we're redey but the Death star. Darth Vader hates christmas. So did his men and his master. The TIE fighters we're sent out. The TIE fighter's would battle the Rebel's and stop christmas.

Little did vader know that Lea was on the Death star. She gave vader a gift. Vader liked it. Darth vader likes Christmas now.

The End.

Why I Hate Santa Claus

Tonight was one of those nights that make me feel like the worst parent in the world.

Mark took Jeffrey to the mall to do some Christmas shopping. They were supposed to be back fairly quickly, but didn't get home until after 9 p.m. I couldn't imagine what had taken them so long. Turns out, Jeff had insisted on standing in line for Santa. They waited over an hour! I was very surprised, because in the past he has demonstrated little interest in visiting this odd, seasonal stranger.

Jeff was very excited about his trip to see Santa, and told me that he asked Santa for a Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer, which costs around $100, if you can find it. We already bought his Christmas gifts, and the Star Destroyer is not one of them. It's just too big and too expensive. So I told him very gently that we had already bought his gifts and that he wasn't going to get that, although we had some other very good presents for him. He said, eyes shining, "But I asked Santa for it!"

This is when I reminded him of what I told him when he was younger and just starting to "get" the whole Santa concept... that Santa Claus is a really fun game that people like to play at Christmas time, but Santa isn't real and that we have to buy the gifts. I told him that we don't have enough money to buy all the things he wants to get, and I want him to know ahead of time so he isn't upset Christmas morning when it isn't there.

I thought he remembered that Santa wasn't real, as I had made quite a point of it.

He didn't.

There were tears. He said he didn't want any Christmas presents and I should take them all back, and that we should take down the Christmas tree. He took the Santa towel out of the bathroom and said he didn't want to see it any more. He was angry with me for telling him. I told him over and over how sorry I was, that I thought he remembered about Santa.

I felt horrible.

But at the same time, I knew that I needed to tell him the truth. I reminded him that Jesus is real and Santa isn't, that Christmas is about Jesus' birthday. That the presents he does get are from the real people who love him. And that God loves him so much that he sent Baby Jesus into the world to be his Savior. So, we can put the Santa towel away, but we aren't getting rid of the Christmas tree or the presents. The tree reminds us of the new life we have in Jesus, and the Christmas gifts come from our love for each other. They remind us of the great gift God gave us in Jesus.

He buried his head in my shirt and cried and cried. Then he laughed because there were snots all over it, then cried some more. He didn't want to hug me goodnight when he finally went to bed.

I really hate Santa!

At a time in their lives when children are the most vulnerable, when we are trying to teach them about honesty and integrity, why do we tell them such a bald-faced lie? It's also a huge burden around the necks of parents who feel obligated to be Santa and fulfill their children's extravagant wishes. Tonight, I actually found myself thinking for just a moment that maybe I should charge that toy he wants to my credit card and put it under the tree "from Santa." But only for a moment.

The Santa myth is also spiritually dangerous, in my opinion, because Christmas and Santa are inseparably linked to Jesus in children's minds. So when a child does finally have to face the disillusionment of finding out Santa isn't real, what's to stop them from thinking Jesus isn't real either? Why isn't Jesus just another nice story that we made up?

I know I did the right thing. At least, I think so. The timing could have been better. But I also feel horrible for crushing Jeffrey's Christmas dream. At the same time, I deeply resent the cultural phenomenon that sets up such false hopes, and takes so much away from the real hope to be found in Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow I'll try to get the lights on the tree. Once it's lit, perhaps he'll want to decorate it. And I know he still wants his presents, regardless of what he might have said tonight!

Postscript (the next day): Jeff was fine this morning, back to his cheerful self. I asked him if he wants to decorate the Christmas tree tonight and he said "Yes." I told him it's okay to believe in Santa if he wants to, and he said he did. The important thing, from my point of view, is that he knows the truth, even if he wants to pretend. I told him how my dad would always pretend to be Santa and wake us up shouting "Ho, Ho, Ho!" I also told him how my mom would make doll clothes for our dolls and wrap them up, marked to us from Mrs. Claus.

I also told him that other parents want their children to think Santa is real, so not to say anything to the other kids he knows, but just to pretend with them. He said "You get what you get and you don't get upset!" I asked him where he heard that, and he said "Miss Coremin," his teacher. I'm going to send her an email thanking her!

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a novice at Santa Claus, as far as how to handle it with my own child and other people's children, since my mom told us the truth from the beginning. I knew it wasn't real, but really enjoyed the myth anyways. She told me that, despite her best efforts, I insisted on believing in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy "because Jesus loves everybody." She couldn't figure out how to argue with that kind of logic, so she gave up! But then... I also believed that there were elves in my bedroom, a witch in the attic and a secret pile of chocolate dirt in our backyard. So it's all a bit of a muddle, but I turned out all right and I'm sure Jeffrey will, too.

Thursday update

As you may be able to tell, my word count has not gone up in the past two weeks. In fact, it's actually gone down a little because I did some editing.

I really want to work on my story, but life is just too demanding at the moment. It's the most wonderful time of the year... and the busiest. Finals are coming up, and my mom is coming next weekend to stay. I'm thrilled that she is coming, but I have to find the bed she is supposed to sleep on under all the junk piled there. Every day, more papers come home from school with Jeffrey and end up on the dining table, along with the daily accumulation of junk mail. I have to shove the whole pile over so we can eat dinner. But if I throw it out without sifting carefully through each and every piece, I just know I'll end up throwing away some bill or valuable receipt, so it has to sit there until I can sift.

Tonight is the Christmas program at school. I really don't feel like dragging myself and Jeff and Mark to the packed auditorium at the high school, with a couple hundred other pairs of grumpy parents. But, it's tradition and I think the kids are looking forward to it. For some reason, I can't get excited about it.

I do know I've been up way too late for too many nights, trying to get work done when the house is quiet. I need to get back on a regular sleep schedule; I'm sure I'll feel better.

It's hard to sleep, though, when so many sad things are happening. I feel very tense right now. The election was depressing enough in itself, along with all the announcements of things the Democrats are planning to do. International problems haunt the news. Plus there have been recent deaths among friends and family, and serious illnesses, and other problems. And the perennial doubts about whether I'm making the right parenting decisions, and doing enough to bring Jeff up in a Christian way. I don't think I am teaching him enough about the Bible at home, but I'm not sure how to do it, either. He hates singing Bible songs, and groans about our nightly devotions, so I'm scratching my head about what to add.

I think I'll end this cheerful rant, and go have some chocolate.

Quote of the Week

I have decided to put up some thoughts of my own for quotes. There are so many things that I observe that seem to strike at the heart of things.
So, at the risk of sounding really pompous, here is the one for this week:

Do not believe the fallacy that good cannot exist without evil. Just as war, injustice, disease, cruelty and poverty are wholly abhorrent in themselves, so also truth, beauty, justice, kindness and compassion are wholly desirable in their own rights. The sun shining down on a full summer's day is no less bright for lack of darkness.