Fifth Post of Christmas

Poppop flew in today and was immediately put to work reading stories, playing Princess card games and zooming cars across the kitchen floor. He was tired from his long trip but still fresh and easily engaged in our ongoing chaos, he hasn't tuned it out yet. The reinforcements have arrived just as Yiayia is getting tired.
Later that evening, we got a call. A prerecorded message from Santa himself, first to Athena, then Zoe. He said how wonderfully they've behaved lately (luckily catching them just after they cleared the dinner table) and that he would be sure to stop by our house first. The look on Zoe's face was priceless. Athena is sometimes teetering on disbelief, I know she's over heard some things on the play ground, but she has yet to ask a direct question. And we are doing everything possible to reinforce the myth.

My sister and I wholeheartedly believed in Santa at their age. Even when my Dad tried to convince us that Santa would prefer beer and peanuts to milk and cookies, we still believed. We even tried to stay up all Christmas Eve to catch a peek at him. I think that was the year my parents put a red cloth over a bouncing flashlight and jingled bells outside our bedroom window, perpetuating our belief for at least three more years.

So are we going to keep up the myth, you betcha! It's endless fun to see their faces every time they find their elf in a different place. This is such a special time of year and Santa is the embodiment of the excitement and joy and indescribable magic of the season. Besides who wants literal children, I want mine to believe in fairies and magic and that they can fly if they just wish hard enough, you know, at least for a few more years.

P.S. Thanks Uncle Stu!