Christmas, I love it. Putting up the Christmas Tree, hanging out some lights, shopping, food and seeing the joy on people's faces, I am Catholic, so I also embrace the birth of Jesus.
Children, especially my children, are excited, what will Santa bring, how many things can I put on my Christmas List. And the endless questions, how does Santa travel to all the houses, will any of the reindeer be coming to Australia or is it just the Boomers? What happens to all the elves when Santa goes?, and my favourite, how can Santa possibly eat all of the cookies and milk left out for him?
Lately I have gotten some more pressing questions. Questions that I don't know how to answer correctly. My 6 year old came in to me and asked, why can't Santa bring food to all the kids that are in Africa? Doesn't he go to Africa, what about all the people who don't believe in God, will they still have Christmas? These questions would be easy to answer if I had never lied in the first place. My 9year old keeps asking why are we only aloud to have one expensive toy on our list? I have been good all year, it shouldn't matter what it costs if the elves make it.
Yes that big lie most of us tell our Children. SANTA. The big guy in the red suit, that flies around the world giving presents to all the good girls and boys, and coal to the naughty ones. The story we all tell our children in the month before the big day to stop our children from driving us completely bonkers. Yes we, as adults know it is a big fat lie. Yes as adults and parents we tell our children never to lie, it is bad, wrong, naughty.
But we as their parents are telling them a doozie of a lie for as many years as we can possible drag it out. Why? Why do we condone the lies our kids tell us , but think it is OK to tell one ourselves.
I know why I do it. I love Christmas and Santa, I love having some sort of control over them when they are being horribly naughty. I love the surprise they get when on Christmas Eve, new PJ's magically appear on their beds. I love the looks on their faces when they wake Christmas morning to their stockings on the end of their bed, I love the look on their faces when they see under the Christmas tree is lots of presents. The joy of knowing that even if they made some bad choices in the year, Santa came through with a stash of goodies.
But, like all lies, you get found out. I am currently debating on when to tell my 9yr old. I don't want him coming home from school asking me if Santa is true, because one of the kids in his class told him. I want to tell him myself. Oh I have researched the subject, I have my speech ready. I just can't do it. I want to still give him that feeling of joy on Christmas morning.
I don't remember being told Santa was not real. I have no ill feeling towards my Mum for telling me she lied. So when will be the day I tell my children, I don't know
Or maybe I don't want to admit I lied
Wednesday 23 November 2011
Thursday 27 October 2011
Halloween in my View
In a few days it will be Halloween. Yes the night when sprits can roam freely out in the world without fear of being exercised by a Catholic Priest, or Voodoo Priestess.
Children are dressed up and walk through out their neighbourhood trick or treating. Homes are turned into haunted houses, and the lolly stores pull out all the old, out of date candy to sell. Pumpkins are carved and parties are thrown. Celebrities, Yes I mean Heidi and Seal, have outrageous gatherings and the next week the gossip magazines show us what they did. Why to celebrate all things dead and scary, to give every child a sugar rush and pay into their Dentist's annual holiday fund.
Well enough about America. This is Australia. And the question that gets asked at this time in the month by every morning show host is, should we, Australia, take on the Halloween culture?
As a child I trick or treated twice, no I did not dress up, I just did it in my normal every day clothes. Yes I did get lollies and some money. Not much but it filled in the night. I do remember being yelled at by one man who told my fiends and I how we had shamed Australia by doing something American. We in turn egged his house. After all, all is fair in the trick or treat war. As a adult I have been to a Halloween party, every one dressed up and then sat around talking. But for the most part I have skipped it all together, unless it was a full moon, and that would be for another blog.
Now that I have children things have changed. They are inundated with TV shows about Halloween and Trick or Treating. They want to dress up and wonder the neighbourhood, knocking on doors seeing what they can score. I on the other hand, understand that most people in my hood, would fog them off and that is the disappointment I do not want. I have tried to explain why the day is not as big in Australia. and for the most part they understand.
But as not to miss out, I have raided Big W and brought them each a monster bag, it will be filled with lollies, slime and a few spiders (chocolate of cause), and before I get a whole load of comments on the horrors of junk, this would be a very big treat for my organic eating family. I have purchased two large carving pumpkins so they can carve out a funny face and then we will light it at night. And again before I get comments on why I am being "American" (just like the women at Coles who questioned why I had them in my trolley) This pumpkin carving will be done as a family, sitting around our BBQ table enjoying each others company and being creative together. (Better then them sitting on a lounge playing a DSI, Wii or Ipod) I see this day as something we can enjoy together as a family, where my children can look back and say, do you remember when we sat around carving that pumpkin, maybe it will become a tradition that will get passed on to other generations.
I have always bought a bag of chocolates in case a strange, dressed up child arrived at my front gate, yelling out Trick or Treat, A small price to pay to see a smile on a child's face. And what if no one turns up, what happens to the chocolate you ask. Well that gives me an excuse to eat it myself.
So whether you celebrate the day/night or not. Buy a bag of lollies, or chocolates or even some dried fruit or even better some BANANAS. If some little child turns up, smile ask them to sing the Australian anthem (we can make it semi Australian) and then place a treat in their bag, and you are done. No harm done. But if you don't get a knock at the door, oh well guess you will just have to eat it all yourself.
Children are dressed up and walk through out their neighbourhood trick or treating. Homes are turned into haunted houses, and the lolly stores pull out all the old, out of date candy to sell. Pumpkins are carved and parties are thrown. Celebrities, Yes I mean Heidi and Seal, have outrageous gatherings and the next week the gossip magazines show us what they did. Why to celebrate all things dead and scary, to give every child a sugar rush and pay into their Dentist's annual holiday fund.
Well enough about America. This is Australia. And the question that gets asked at this time in the month by every morning show host is, should we, Australia, take on the Halloween culture?
As a child I trick or treated twice, no I did not dress up, I just did it in my normal every day clothes. Yes I did get lollies and some money. Not much but it filled in the night. I do remember being yelled at by one man who told my fiends and I how we had shamed Australia by doing something American. We in turn egged his house. After all, all is fair in the trick or treat war. As a adult I have been to a Halloween party, every one dressed up and then sat around talking. But for the most part I have skipped it all together, unless it was a full moon, and that would be for another blog.
Now that I have children things have changed. They are inundated with TV shows about Halloween and Trick or Treating. They want to dress up and wonder the neighbourhood, knocking on doors seeing what they can score. I on the other hand, understand that most people in my hood, would fog them off and that is the disappointment I do not want. I have tried to explain why the day is not as big in Australia. and for the most part they understand.
But as not to miss out, I have raided Big W and brought them each a monster bag, it will be filled with lollies, slime and a few spiders (chocolate of cause), and before I get a whole load of comments on the horrors of junk, this would be a very big treat for my organic eating family. I have purchased two large carving pumpkins so they can carve out a funny face and then we will light it at night. And again before I get comments on why I am being "American" (just like the women at Coles who questioned why I had them in my trolley) This pumpkin carving will be done as a family, sitting around our BBQ table enjoying each others company and being creative together. (Better then them sitting on a lounge playing a DSI, Wii or Ipod) I see this day as something we can enjoy together as a family, where my children can look back and say, do you remember when we sat around carving that pumpkin, maybe it will become a tradition that will get passed on to other generations.
I have always bought a bag of chocolates in case a strange, dressed up child arrived at my front gate, yelling out Trick or Treat, A small price to pay to see a smile on a child's face. And what if no one turns up, what happens to the chocolate you ask. Well that gives me an excuse to eat it myself.
So whether you celebrate the day/night or not. Buy a bag of lollies, or chocolates or even some dried fruit or even better some BANANAS. If some little child turns up, smile ask them to sing the Australian anthem (we can make it semi Australian) and then place a treat in their bag, and you are done. No harm done. But if you don't get a knock at the door, oh well guess you will just have to eat it all yourself.
My First Blog
Well this is it. After thinking about starting a blog, ever since my addiction to twitter. I have thought, hmm I need to express my views over 140 charters.
I have no idea what I am doing. I am not a writer, have no university degree. In fact I am just a Mum/Wife and most of the time a crazy person, with too much time on my hands.
Most of my ramblings will be about my teacups (my children), with the occasional mention of my husband (which at times he is my oldest, most annoying child) and our two dogs. TV and politics will also be thrown in to the mix.
And that is it, my first post. I'll figure out how to do this.
I have no idea what I am doing. I am not a writer, have no university degree. In fact I am just a Mum/Wife and most of the time a crazy person, with too much time on my hands.
Most of my ramblings will be about my teacups (my children), with the occasional mention of my husband (which at times he is my oldest, most annoying child) and our two dogs. TV and politics will also be thrown in to the mix.
And that is it, my first post. I'll figure out how to do this.
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