Let's back up, I lost my job over a year ago. I embraced the change with open arms. In the last year I've started two businesses, pulled my hair out, sang 1990's pop songs at the top of my voice, but essentially tightened the financial belt on the family. Last year holidays came and passed in no great fan fair, I prepped before losing the job. Then I got really sick and wasn't able to get out much for pretty much the entire month of December. With out me doing the festivities, we just didn't do a lot.
In the last year I've been avoiding stores. Just not going inside at all, even my groceries are ordered on-line. But in the last 2 weeks a wide variety of errands and meetings have sent me into the center of tourist and shopping Meccas. All things holiday have been in my face.
I will say in my defence that avoiding stores has generally abated any general "want" for things. But with the holidays upon us I have wanted to show the great holiday displays to the boys. And the displays all lead to 'sales', sales of rather cool things to have, which are rather cool things that I don't need, which in turn reminds me how I'm not spending money.
Bottom line, I didn't really feel that poor until the holidays hit.
So.... Given I was sick last year and the boys didn't see Santa, I was determined to have it happen this year. My lovely hubby is not one for lines, so I sought out a NYC Santa known to have a very short line; a trip to ABC Home & Carpet downtown. And guess what, this Santa didn't disappoint.
He really was an old guy with a great real beard. He sat in a beautiful chair in a small private corner of the building. He was friendly and gentle. The whole store is magical at this time of the year and it wasn't lost on the boys. I didn't tell the boys we were there to see Santa until I had assessed the line wait time, but it looked good and they were willing. We happen to be the last two kids before he took the 2 pm break to feed the reindeer. When he was done with us, we watched as he left, and frankly he could barely walk when he stood up.
The Little Man (reminder, he's 3 years old) was suspicious and standoffish. He got into the act only at the end of the visit when he saw that big brother was getting a lollie. Lollies have long ruled supreme in our household. But the Big Boy (reminder, he's 5 years old) was into it; amazingly reverent and respectful. Rather in awe of the big guy. It was beautiful.
And the Big Boy, he kept telling me how this was the "best day ever" as he got ride the bus all the way down town and to meet the real Santa Clause. His enthusiasm continued until the next day at school he told all the other kids how he met the real Santa Claus at "ABC" which created a commotion of kids asking to go and kids claiming he's also at Macy's. One little boy was crying that he wanted to go, but was informed he was Jewish. Later the mom told me she'd take him to Santa, but there will be no Christmas tree. Which just reminds me of why I love New York, we all just make it work here.
Since the visit there have been numerous discussions about what type of carrots Santa's reindeer prefer, which of course is the type with the green stems still attached. What type of cookies is optimal, which is a debate between chocolate chip or peanut butter with chocolate kisses in the center. And whether we should leave milk or beer for Santa - a helpful doorman didn't understand how much of a believer we have on our hands. But we are prepping for the visit already.
To me it is magical. The Big Boy is not asking for anything, he believes Santa will bring him something, but isn't asking for any specific toy, he just wants the man to show up. He understands Santa won't come until 'a creature isn't stirring', so he wants to go to sleep as soon as the sun sets on Christmas Eve (which is actually like 4 pm in the afternoon)! He wants to be good, so Santa comes. He wants his brother to be good so they both get something.
The Little Man, however, is a bit perplexed by the Big Boy's fervor. He's along for the ride, but he's not really a believer. The Little Man is up for the idea of receiving presents and seems to be cool with the fact that we have a tree in the corner of the living room. But, he is unclear about the Santa in the middle of the night bit. Frankly, this is about where our Big Boy was two years ago, I just didn't know it would shift so quickly.
I've been taking the boys to places to see decorated store windows, great Christmas lights, and all sorts of random holiday stuff - yes they are NYers so they have learned the dradle song, they know Kwanzaa is coming, and they made latkes at school today. But the man in red rules.
In a tough year, where frankly I need to keep believing in magic, it is a really cool that the Big Boy can remind me how to believe. It should be Thanksgiving really, I've been learning so much from this soon to be 5 year old.
