Santa Questions

One of Daniel's classmates brought in his color Gameboy, a handheld electronic game, to school last week and let Daniel play with it. Daniel quickly became hooked on the Gameboy Pokémon game. He's been talking about it ever since. This morning in the car he announced that he planned to ask Santa for a color Gameboy for Christmas.

"Because you probably won't get it for me, Daddy," he said. Daniel knows very well that his father and I are not crazy about Pokémon stuff. He's also becoming aware of the cost of things, and he knows that Gameboys are expensive. Daniel has a few handheld electronic games, but only ones that Tab has purchased for a dollar or two at yard sales. So, in his mind, asking Santa is the perfect solution. Santa has already brought him a few things that Daddy had said were expensive.

Playing with his K'nex the other day, Daniel remarked, "Thanks for giving me this set for my birthday, Daddy. I won't thank you for getting me started with K'nex, though, because it was Santa who brought me my first set. I thanked Santa, instead."

I'm glad Daniel still believes in Santa Claus, though I wonder how much longer that will last. I'll be surprised if we get through next Christmas without his learning the truth. Already, he's mulling over bits of the Santa story in his quick little brain and trying to reconcile the parts that don't make sense. This puts me on the spot because I haven't always thought through all the details. I find myself trying to remember what I answered the last time he asked me these questions to be sure that I don't contradict previous statements.

This morning after announcing his plan to ask Santa for a Gameboy, Daniel asked "Since we don't have a chimney, how does Santa get in, Mama?"

"Oh, he can go right through doors if he needs to," I answered without thinking. Then I began to wonder: Didn't I tell him last time that we leave a key out for Santa? Hmmm, I can't remember.

I hedged. "I'm not really sure, though, since I've never seen him. But we also leave a key in the mailbox for him just in case he needs it."

There, that ought to cover it.

"Is Santa like a magician?"

"Well, he must have magic powers in order to get everything done on Christmas Eve. Think about it: he has to fly all around the world. That's pretty far!"

"Has anyone ever seen the real Santa?"

"I dunno, Dans. I thought I saw him once when I was a little girl. I looked out of the window of my room and saw his sleigh flying toward my house with bags of toys on it, and a doll's head sticking out of one bag. I knew that doll was for me. But later I wasn't sure if it was a dream."

(This really did happen to me one Christmas Eve. I'd been sitting on the windowseat in the bedroom I shared with my sister Lori, and I'd fallen asleep there. I had a dream in which I saw Santa Claus fly by as I'd told Daniel. Or was it a dream?)

Daniel was intrigued by my revelation. We've told the boys that they have to stay in bed on Christmas Eve because if they catch sight of Santa in our house, he will leave without giving them any presents.

"Was Santa mad that you saw him? Did he take your presents away?"

"No, because I hadn't gone downstairs. And remember, it might have been a dream."

He continued with his questioning. "Do the elves make everything, or do they buy stuff?"

Oh, great. Another tough question.

"Ummm, maybe they buy some things. Or maybe there are factories at the North Pole where they can make everything. I really don't know because I don't know anyone who's ever been there."

"A long time ago, did they just make wooden toys?" He was probably thinking of the Rudolph Christmas special which shows elves making things out of wood in a workshop.

"Well, a long time ago, most toys were made out wood because they that's all they had to work with."

"Does Rudolph really exist?"

"I don't know, Dans. I've never seen him, not even when I thought I saw Santa's sleigh. Maybe he's retired."

By that time we had arrived at Daniel's school, putting an end, thankfully, to Daniel's questions. For now.

<<previous : email me : index : next>>