So, for better or worse, we've played down Santa around here. Juliette was/is petrified of the man in the red suit and Evie has followed her sister's cue (maybe out of collegiality or maybe from genuine fear, we are not sure.)
Here is a typical Santa discussion - scene: approaching the mall from the parking garage.
Juliette, hand tightening around mine in a death grip. "Will Santa be here????"
Me trying to seize a teachable moment, "No, he is only there at Christmas time, and what do we know about St. Nicholas?"
Juliette, bored from repetition but still not feeling safe "He is not real and the real St. Nicholas was someone who gave away everything and helped many children a long time ago..."
Me continuing, trying to stave off phone calls from angry parents "But we don't talk about Santa outside of our family because some children still believe in him, right?"
You get the picture.
A recent parenting lesson showed me that such knowledge does not transfer.
The tooth fairy is real - when I dared suggest otherwise I got an incredulous ???WHAT????
I learned that lesson.
That is why, today, there are shoes in the hallway and both girls are blissfully asleep at 2:30 in the afternoon. They are waiting for their gifts from the wise men. They know the wise men can't come until they are both asleep.
In my defense, it was entirely their teacher's doing. Epiphany is a big thing at their preschool. Everyone in king hats and going on pilgrimages... Juliette had to leave early, so her teacher slipped me a gift to sneak into a shoe.
Now Evie's shoe is full as is Juliette's. I haven't thought of anything for me or Bruce yet. An apple? A stick of cheese?
Juliette wanted to know what the camels would do while the wise men visited. I told her the wise men would have to use our hose and they could eat the grass, because the camels weren't allowed to come in the house.
Please don't judge me, but can the wise men plan to make regular visits? I'm willing to negotiate hay and carrots for the camels.
