If I had to do Christmas over again with my own children, I would tell them the truth about Santa Claus, that he does not come down a chimney and fill stockings or leave presents. I would tell them that one present is all that I could afford and it was one from my heart. Initially, until the children were in school, most of the gifts from me to them were home made anyhow. I made their clothes, and grew their food for the most part. Life was good, but then society pressured our ways and insisted that the kids get toys, lots of them, and many other presents. I used to wrap socks separately so they could unwrap more items, but I would not do that again. Socks and underwear were always presents under the tree. Toys were not.
One year I found an electric tricycle for a reasonable price and bought it for my kids. It was stolen on Christmas day from their grandparents balcony. Some one else decided that his son needed it more than mine. Unjust and unfair, that was. We survived it. They had half of a day to enjoy it and maybe that was enough.
Electronics were not permitted, no hand held games or computer games. Tools were sometimes presents. Even then I stepped out from the ordinary and did not succumb to the mass hysteria about children and toys. I wish parents today would give a child one real gift and tell the child it was from them. 'Cause if Christmas came again, the one thing I would change is not to tell the kids a lie about Santa. Why is it OK to do that and still go to church on Sunday and pretend you never lie? If Christmas came again, would you do something differently?
One year I found an electric tricycle for a reasonable price and bought it for my kids. It was stolen on Christmas day from their grandparents balcony. Some one else decided that his son needed it more than mine. Unjust and unfair, that was. We survived it. They had half of a day to enjoy it and maybe that was enough.
Electronics were not permitted, no hand held games or computer games. Tools were sometimes presents. Even then I stepped out from the ordinary and did not succumb to the mass hysteria about children and toys. I wish parents today would give a child one real gift and tell the child it was from them. 'Cause if Christmas came again, the one thing I would change is not to tell the kids a lie about Santa. Why is it OK to do that and still go to church on Sunday and pretend you never lie? If Christmas came again, would you do something differently?
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