Holiday season is my favorite time of year. The brisk air energizes me. I love the music. The anticipation of getting together with family, and just the pure joy of the season. Yes, it has become a very commercialized time of year and many celebrate the Christmas holiday without knowing the true cause for the celebration; however, I reflected on this even more this year because I want my children to understand what Christmas is all about.
My five year old understands what wrapped gifts mean and knows when the time comes he will get to unwrap those with his name on them. Within the pretty paper will be something new and fun for him to play with, read, wear, eat, or look at with a new excitement and enthusiasm. Our children have way more than they should, but it is so much fun to watch their eyes light up and a giant smile develop when they receive something. This year I noticed something very interesting, my son was just as excited to watch me, my husband, and my daughter open our gifts. For some he helped pick out the gifts and wrap them. For others he was just as surprised when we unwrapped our gifts. This pleased me because he realized that this was about all of us and tunderstood he pleasure giving to others.
At preschool this year we received an Operation Christmas Gift box in which my son purchased a gift for a needy child. He chose to buy for a girl who was his own age. Man, we scrambled through Wal-Mart filling the box. He wanted to give her the world. Unfortunately, we don't have the funds to do that, but it was so pleasing to see the enthusiasm he had to buy for someone he didn't even know. Now, trying to explain poverty to a 5 year old is rather challenging. I had to explain that they didn't have enough money to purchase toys and unnecessary items, but we do have a little extra that we can give to others. At that time my sister calls to say that she will be home in a week and will be bringing him a gift. His response, "You don't need to buy me presents...my mom and dad have money, they can buy me presents." 
We finished our shopping and then went home to prepare the gift. Jace wanted to include a personally drawn picture inside the gift.
We went to our local Living Nativity presentation about the birth of Jesus. I thought explaining poverty was difficult, but trying to explain the Living Nativity brought on a whole new berth of questions (sorry for the pun). Angels, stars, shepherds, wise men, a manger, and why is Jesus so special anyway? Can he see everyone? Can he see me now? How? What are angels? Are there angels in here now? Why can't I see them? How did she have the baby so quick? and the list goes on. Needless to say, we didn't get a great deal from the living nativity. He did carry the infant Jesus up at the midnight mass procession, and he did a wonderful job of placing baby Jesus in the manger. There were no more questions about his birth this year and I'm grateful.
On another note...I want to write this last Christmas story before I forget the quote. While playing around the fire pit during a Christmas get together at my mom and dad's house I stopped him from goofing around. I got down at his eye-level, and ever so seriously said to him, "What would happen if you fell in the fire pit?" Matter of factly he responds, "Stop, drop and roll."
