"OK, I want the truth." Our 9 year old eyed my husband and me with a most serious expression. We were trapped at the dinner table with our accuser and his 14 year old brother as a witness. I looked to my husband's guilt ridden face. He wasn't about to say a word. The 14 year old was grinning his 'I told you so' grin. So, I was tossed to the wolf cub.
"Well it's true," I said. "Your father and I put the presents under the tree.... but we are doing it in the spirit of Santa Claus."
"?" The 9 year old stared at me.
"You should have seen us trying to stuff the piano down the chimney last year," I continued.
"Nooo!" he wailed as he writhed in his chair with a mixture of frustration and delight with our playfulness. His brother and father stifled laughs. "How did you get the piano into the house and hidden behind the tree last year?!"
*Silence*
"Well," said his father, "a magician never gives away his tricks," he grinned.
"Did you and dad carry it into the house?" the boy asked.
"Hah!" I laughed. "Your father and I couldn't carry a piano into the house on Christmas Eve."
"So what did you do?" The nine year old insisted.
"We hired some elves!" I smiled.
"Arrrrrgh!" he yelled and laughed at the same time.
After the laughter died down, we told our little boy that we are all part of the spirit of Christmas and now that he knows where the presents come from, he would also be responsible for helping bring the spirit of Christmas to others.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
