Santa Claus Traditions

Santa Came! Santa Came! Santa Came

Last night was my first night playing Santa.  We have to leave for the airport in the middle of the night to make our 6am flight tomorrow so Santa had to come to our house a little early.  Even though I didn't really have to be stealthy about it this year I do so anyway just for practice.  Boy am I glad I did!  I learned very quickly that you do not leave the assembly of toys for the night before.  At least anything that requires a hammer anyway.  I also started to think about exactly what Santa Claus traditions I would like to establish.  My parents divorced when I was a very young so I always got 2 Christmas mornings.  My parents played Santa a little differently and it never occurred to me to question it.  For example my mom didn't wrap stocking stuffers while my dad did.  At my Mom's my brother and I opened stockings on our own while at my Dad's we opened stockings after gifts and after breakfast.  Mom left wrapping paper out for Santa to use...so that we wouldn't wonder why gifts from her and him were wrapped in the same paper.  Dad used different paper. I knew a girl in school whose Santa gifts were never wrapped at all.  Do you allow gifts from Santa to come in the original packaging or does Santa make all the toys?  Wow!  I never thought it would be so complicated!!!  Here are a couple of ground rules that I think work best for me.

1.  All gifts from Santa should be wrapped in glittery red and white wrapping paper.
2.  Stockings are filled with unwrapped candy and other trinkets with a wrapped gift or two.
3.  Its OK to leave toys in original packaging but bigger items, like the trike, should be removed from the box and assembled.
4.  Don't forget to eat the milk and cookies and leave crumbs!
5.  Leave a snow globe from Santa.  I thought of this after watching the Polar Express and The Santa Clause the other night.
6.  Sneak in to leave a gift by the bedside if possible.  My mom did this and it was so fun to wake up to!

I'm sure I'll think of more as I go along.  The key is to stay consistent.  The really hard part is that I'm sure we'll have to arrange for Santa to come a little early every year like this.  But again, as a kid, I never questioned my parent's ability to communicate with the big guy.  That's part of the magic in believing!  Merry Christmas everyone!

The scene before I went to bed after midnight.

Love that kid!