I Believe.....

As we were getting into the car from an impromptu shopping trip to Walmart today, we got the tail end of "Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer". As the girls settled into there seats Taryn heard the part of the song, "you can say THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS SANTA" and was just mortified! She said, "Mommy, they just said there's no such thing as Santa!" so I explained the rest of the song to her and then asked if she believed in Santa, of course the answer was yes and then Olivia piped up, "I believe in Santa too!" and then I added "so do I!"

I know there is controversy with some as to whether or not to let their children believe in Santa. I've stayed out of the discussion, because to each his own, but I just wanted to share my reason for Santa in the Hussey house.

Well first off I think it's a bit of tradition and nostalgia. As a little kid we always had Santa in our home. My Mom is a huge holiday person and so all Holiday's were pretty special in our home. That has kinda rubbed off on me (okay if you as Beau he'll laugh at the word 'kinda'!). I loved the excitement that came with the Christmas season and now to see my girls with the same excitement just makes me so happy! I ALWAYS knew what the real meaning of Christmas was. Christ birth was not lost in my family or over shadowed by Santa. We always chose a family to do the 12 Days of Christmas for and there were always many church activities to fill our hearts with Christ centered giving and love. We always had the Nativity front and center and always read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve.

Back to the Santa thing. To me the belief in Santa is magical! We don't grow up still believing in Santa. Believing in Santa is short lived, we all get to an age where we no longer believe in Santa. So for me 10 years (or less) out of my children's lives where they believe in Santa is no big deal. I feel like it cultivates their imagination and let me tell you my kids have one crazy imagination! There will be a lifetime to expand and immerse themselves in the religious aspect of Christmas. My kids know why we have Christmas, of course they understand it in their little 2, 4, and 6 year old minds, but they know. As the belief in Santa fades there love and understanding of what Christ means in our lives will grow. It is a fine line of trying to mesh the two together but it can be done. I love Santa! I love Jesus! And I love that my children believe....yes believe in both!!!