12.25.22

Why do kids rush to grow up? Ok so, rhetorical. I get the idea of growing up, of wanting to find place in the world and experience what those older kids around us enjoy. But what I really don’t understand is the need to NOT believe in Santa and then find this almost cruel way to make sure and kill the spirit in kids of all ages around them. And what I really don’t get are the parents who refuse to try and keep the ‘deceit’ alive for just one more year.

My wife and I have 21yr grown twins who stopped believing in Santa quite some time ago. When our youngest, now 8, came into our lives we all felt this joy. Once again Santa is real and there really is magic in the elf on the shelf.

Slow down, believe in Santa, just for a few days.

Kids are already learning that life is full of reality that is hard. Even sucking the fun out of things like backyard whiffle ball games and & throwing a football in the schoolyard has to somehow become a job. Mothers’ & Fathers’ believing that there is future greatness in their child, sheesh… talk about magic and delusion.

And it’s not just sports, it school. How much homework does your 2nd grader have, do you have him or her in any afterschool programs? My daughter has to read 3 books before picking up a toy. My son has to do long math before any screen time.

That’s great, for you. For me? Life will become hard soon and only continue to get harder. He’s 8, so let’s just be a damn kid. Maybe all parents need an oppositional, ADHD, anxious kid to realize that you need to take a fucking step back and just enjoy the joy.

Sylvester, our elf on the shelf and his magic.

Reality notwithstanding, this will be Nate’s last year believing in the magic of Santa or the elf on the shelf. I went out of the way to position Syvester in mischievous ways and had some letters and notes written. I went out of my way in excess. Both for him, to combat the know it all, I don’t believe in anything, my parents buy it all kids. But also for me, because for the few minutes it takes to set up Sylvester I get to forget the shitty work day that was and believe in the magic of the elf. As for the rest of my day, I can see Nate’s joy in finding what our elf on the shelf had been up to.

No judgment, If you don’t care if your little person believes in the magic of Santa or the Elf on the Shelf. I really don’t care, just keep your unhappy outlook of life behind your front door.

But maybe, just maybe. Teach him or her a little self control. That just because you are ready to ignore the wonders of childhood, there are many of us who would like to just believe, even if only for a few days.

Life will get hard again on 12.26. But for a few days leading up to Christmas and today, how about taking a break and just find some joy. There are enough articles written by people who hate what we do for the holidays and I refuse to link to their personal misery. If you really care, just Google “hate the elf on the shelf“.

Well, Happy Happy & Merry Merry.

It’s not about the gifts. The quantity, size or cost… Just the magic. Life has enough in store for us as we grow up.