11 Things I've Learned About Christmas in 11 Years

Its' hard to believe that this is going to be the 11th Christmas that my wife and I have spent with kids. We are still in the grasp of Santa Claus, but I fear that this will be the last year the jolly old elf gets all of the credit for the big day.  Tyler is in the fifth grade now and I am shocked that he still believes in Santa or is at least still playing along.  I suspect that he has known for a couple of years now, but just won't come out and tell us.  He's a smart kid, perhaps smarter than us.  Some fourth grader told Carter on the bus that Santa isn't real, so who knows what he thinks.  He's never really been into the whole holiday as much as his older brother.

I've noticed some things in 11 years.

1. No Christmas is as exciting as when your kid is two years old.  Christmas peaked that year.  The first couple of years the kids have no idea what is going on, but at two they expect something will happen and Christmas morning when you are two is an explosion of excitement. Tyler dressed up as Santa to go see Santa that year.  Walking through the mall that year is something I will never forget.

2. The first Christmas really is a waste for the kids.  It's nothing more than a photo opportunity with a new "Baby's First Christmas" outfit.  Kids can't open anything at that age and they really have no clue what is going on.  just give your kid a box.

3. The first Christmas is anything but a waste for parents.  It might be a photo opportunity, but never again will your kid wear the "Baby's First Christmas" outfit.  Christmas changes when you have a kid.

4. Kids react differently to Christmas.  Our oldest loves everything about Christmas, our youngest is pretty indifferent.  He makes a list, he checks it twice; he'd be happy if a big box was delivered on a random Tuesday afternoon with a bunch of toys and games.  He could do without all the Christmas trimmings.  The first couple of years Carter was fine with Santa, the next few he was scared to see him.

5. Christmas turns into a game. Part of me just wants to spill the beans about Christmas.  The kids find random presents that were supposed to be from Santa.  They see our browsing history on the computer.  Presents have to be switched from Santa to Hanukkah.  It's not easy nowadays hiding everything.

6. Every Christmas special on TV talks about not believing in Santa. It puts doubt in their heads.  Why would a young kid have any reason to not believe?  Yet, every show starts with some kid questioning the existence of Santa only to be convinced in the end that he is real.  Maybe it's the parent in me that wants to make it last as long as possible and I'm thinking about it too much, but I can almost see the wheels turning in my kids heads whenever it gets brought up.

7. It's not easy to shop anymore. We used to be able to get the kids anything and they would love it.  Throw some Legos or Star Wars stuff under the tree and the kids would be thrilled. Now?  They love their tablets and they don't really play with toys that much anymore.  It's all about video games, but you can't have EVERY present be a video game.  They just don't NEED as much stuff, but they WANT a lot of stuff.

8. Whatever they want they will no longer play with by New Years.  Like a lot of kids last year, Tyler had to have a million rubber bands last year for his Rainbow Loom kit.  Two days later they were forgotten about.

9. Christmas lists can't be made out until Thanksgiving.  Sure kids can wish for things throughout the year, but I learned my lesson with Pokemon two years ago.  It's all Carter wanted in October, so we bought a bunch of them online.  By mid November he wanted nothing to do with them.  We still have those cards and he actually is starting to play with Pokemon again, but that wasn't a fun holiday.

10. It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year.  Amazingly I'm happy not getting anything for Christmas.  Seeing my kids open all their presents is good enough for me.

11. The moment after all the presents are opened is the saddest time of year.  You have no idea what Christmas is going to look like the following year.  How will the kids change?  Will they care about Santa anymore?  How much Christmas magic will still exist? Every year the kids are less and less excited about the holidays. A lot changes over the course of a year's time.

Who knows what next year will hold, but I suspect I will learn a little more.

John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?

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Scarecrow and Mrs. Rotting Pumpkin

I can tell Christmas coming.  The catalogues all change, the lights are slowly going up around the neighborhood, and I have a couple of pumpkins that are rotting on my front doorstep.

She has seen better days

My wife has a huge issue with the way I decorate the house.  Well I should say not the way I decorate, but how long it actually takes me to take things down or throw things out.  She has threatened me in the past with divorce over such things, and says that we are the laughing stock of the entire neighborhood.  With my son Tyler now in the second grade, she fears he will be picked on because I try to spread holiday cheer as long as possible.  I say if I can make at least one person smile as they drive past our house, who cares what everyone else thinks.

When did we get to the point where we concerned ourselves over what Tom and Judy from down the street think of us?

Is this really so bad?

One year I had our outside Christmas lights up until sometime around Mothers Day.  Maybe that was a little much but I liked them.  I liked being different than everybody else.  Where I live the lights go up right around Christmas and EVERYONE takes them down the week after New Years.  One month of holiday lights just doesn't seem enough to me.  Why not leave them up a little longer, is there really harm in that?  You see, my lights I like to consider winter season lights.  They look like a giant pair of candy canes on the front pillars of my house.  Last I knew we didn't stop eating candy canes right after Christmas, heck I have had them in July before.

So after Christmas is done I like to think that they are Valentines Day lights.  Why not, they are red and white, I have seen people put heart shaped lights in front of their houses, whats wrong with two giant candy canes?  I have even thought about adding a green light to the mix, that way we can just leave them up until St. Patrick's Day!  Maybe even add a blue blue on in and have them up for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, how cool would that be?  We would definitely be the talk of the neighborhood.

But my wife thinks for the wrong reasons.

As if there are actually people sitting in their homes holding parties and laughing at the Willeys down the block.  I say screw you Stooges, they are my lights and I am keeping them up all year this year!  At least until the divorce papers are filed.

That reminds me I should probably go get that scarecrow and those rotting pumpkins though they are looking a little funky.

John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?

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