Columnists
HoHoHo not just a postal code
Parade Weekend. It came. It dazzled. It went. How the H E double candy canes did November sneak by as quickly as it did? As one of our little girls said after the Bloomfield parade, “Time to start thinking about the real Santa Claus.” She’s pretty excited about the holiday season, but she and her cousin don’t know the truth about who Santa is. The little girls are young enough to not be put off by anyone who doesn’t buy into tinsel, candy canes, festive napkins, silly Santa songs or a couple of red and green jelly beans beside their bowls of Froot Loops in the morning. The little girls love all of the old, cheesy Christmas movies, cartoons and stories. The cornier the better, it seems. It’s hard to be all bah-humbug around our little girls. Of course, this is what the season is all about. The magic of a season and children. And then?
Well, and then my sister-in-law and brother moved to the community from Toronto just over two years ago. My beautiful “little sister” in-law has an astonishing affinity for Christmas. As folks might say, “she’s old enough to know better”. Indeed, she does know better. She knows how much better it is to embrace everything about the holiday season. And, quite frankly, she doesn’t care what anyone has to say about it—unless they’re taking a swipe at the hohoho or shortbread cookies with a sprig of holly. She loves the music, the food, the cold air, the decorations, the lights, the food (did I mention the food?), the candies, the stockings, the parades and the Christmas Markets. If there happened to be a Christmas Checklist, she’d check all of the boxes twice, including the one where presents need to be wrapped and cards need to be addressed and mailed. Having Auntie just around the corner has been a blessing for all of us. She’s an extra loop of popcorn and cranberries around the tree, she’s a figgy pudding of joy, that woman is. It’s especially good for a gal like me. If you know me, and some of you do, you know I’m always working hard to keep the holiday spirit on track. It helps to have the little girls around, because most kids love the holidays. And now we have Auntie. A grown woman with a great big heart, a child’s approach to the wonders of the season and I just know she believes in Santa Claus. Actually, I firmly believe she knows Santa, personally.
Over the last decade or so, I’ve come to know the real Santa, too. Both Auntie and I know, deep down inside, that we are Santa Claus. Oh, yeah. There definitely can be more than one. We’ll never tell the little girls the truth ourselves until they’re ready to assume the role. Many of you know the story of how I had to learn to be the Santa I really am. I actually had to read an instructional book to become the person I have always been, deep down inside. I had to work on being thoughtful and generous in ways I thought were impossible. Auntie has always known how to be kind and considerate. So, I now have “little sister” in-law/Auntie who understands the irrationality of delivering gifts to every child in one evening, but believes it’s possible. I found that being Santa “made a mess of my November” and it has “transformed my December”. My sister-inlaw, AKA Auntie, has always known that being Santa is part whimsy and part logistical hassle. And then?
Well, and then Christmas just becomes a whole lot easier to handle because there are two of us in our family, indeed in our neighbourhood. Step back family and friends. Auntie and I have this covered.
Comments (0)