Christmas 2009 and Santa Claus

(it's very long....

WE have been the guilty parents of past who have had many austentacious Christmas'. But for the past 10 years we have truly tried to scale down and give gifts that would last and less gifts that would be forgotten or broken in 6 wks. Successful gifts have been gifts that are still with us a year, later. Rockband2 and the electric scooters and laptops have all been successful gifts, even their boots and clothes. Santa did great last year.

When Sweetheart was 8 or so, her Christmas list would be lengthy and then she would always scale back and say, "No, I will just throw it away or it will break". I knew my incessant words through the previous years had not fallen upon deaf ears and the children were listening.

How our children view Christmas is how we teach them. So, if you have a greedy ungrateful little monster on your hand, you can check the mirror, and tell yourself Thank you. When Warrior and Beauty were very young we started to have these greedy little monsters developing and because of that we implemented the change 10 years ago.

A wooden creche was made for our family 5 or 6 years ago. We would put peices of straw into the manger with each kind act or deed done for someone, in hopes that on Christmas morning baby Jesus would have a soft place to lay. Sadly, I couldn't find it this year or the baby Jesus. (that still has stinging effects).

Dash asked questions about Christmas. He is in that magical in between stage of believing and not believing. Sweetheart too. She suspects and I found out that Warrior didn't truly know until his Junior year of High School, WHAT??? Yeah, he just told me that THIS year!! (pats myself on the back)..

My philosophy on Santa Claus. I relate believing in Santa Claus as believing in God or Christ. God is all giving everything good comes from him. All great gifts come from our Father, and in our household all great gifts come from Santa. I can put a spiritual twist to the movie polar express! Those who have to see to believe and those who have the faith to hear the ring of the bell..... Why is it so hard to believe that there is someone greater than ourselves and that we were created and have a great purpose? Why is it so easy for others to want to squash the magic of Christmas?

Dash's questions:Do you have to celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
Do you have to open gifts on that day?
Do you believe in Santa?
My answers: December 25th was the day that the world has put aside that all Christians would celebrate the birth of Christ and that we would all open gifts. But we are lucky because we don't need the world to tell us when it's ok to celebrate the birth of Christ. WE do that every day, right?

He adamantly agreed. I said, we also don't HAVE to open gifts on December 25th, we could open them tomorrow if we wished, or after Christmas. But, we choose to wait for this magical day and celebrate and open our gifts. He realized that we do not have to wait so much for the DATE and Christmas can be all year round if we choose so.

I had been dreading the actual Christmas morning. I had no idea what was to come. I hadn't done any shopping. Didn't have any money to do so, everything goes to a bill and there are many bills that just don't get covered. Why continue to work so hard when I'm still drowning? NO matter how many countless hours I work I will still fall short and not be able to pay all of our bills. So, why try? Yet, I continue to endure and do all that I can for myself and my family, despite the fact that I fall short. The Church of Jesus Christ has programs set up within to help assist. When we have done all that we can do, they too can assist and help. They have shown mercy upon our family. The spiritual lesson gained is no matter how hard I strive for perfection. I can not be perfect like Christ, so why try?. WE are asked to do our best, to try every day to be better than we were. When we have done all that we can do, His saving grace and mercy will make up the difference. Being a member of the church is such a wonderful blessing.

No shopping at all has been done and Christmas is 5 days away. Two days before Christmas something horrible came knocking at our door. I was working. It's too painful to write but this will spark a memory when I look back on it. The light of Christmas was almost blown out but instantly God blessed us. Where a door closes a window opens. Sunday afternoon, two very large trash bags were given to us. It was filled with some necessity items for each of the children along with many gift cards. I had scheduled myself to work until December 23rd. When I came home late that night we went through the two bags. Overwhelmed and very touched by the generosity of our ward family has truly taught me the magic of Christmas as well as the necessity of giving more.

Mr. Incredible and I went to Walmart, Target and Old Navy and began to purchase things for our children with the gift cards. It was odd being in a store. I felt uneasy and awkward. I hadn't even entered a store for 4 months. WE purchased socks, other unmentionables for 4 children and each of them got a pair of jeans and a shirt! WE were so elated. I knew the children would be too, because they haven't received any apparel since school started. I paid with 11 gift cards.

We returned home that evening and in our mail we received another gift card from my Aunt and my grandma sent us Christmas money with a little extra treat. My sister in law, GRETCHEN and mother in law also sent us some denaro for the children. So humbled by such generosity and my parents had sent their Christmas $$ to all. We chose to divide the money evenly between the children and put them in envelopes on the tree. I knew the older children would enjoy spending it as they wish. WE chose to purchase a ripstick for Dash from Grandma Janice and his Uncle Steve and Aunt Gretchen. When I called to thank Gretchen for their monetary gift she had said that some family's had donated to the Santa fund. Again, stricken with emotion from experiencing such thoughtfulness was overwhelming.

Santa Claus does truly exist. If it hadn't been for the Santas of our family members and friends and the Santas of our ward family my children would not have had a Christmas. I have been on freecycle.com for our area. I was able to find one gift for each person. Freecycle is where people offer up items before they go to GoodWill or the trash. I was able to get an air hockey table for Dash, kitchen cabinets for the garage for Mr. I, and each year the girls get a porcelain doll for their collection, and someone had offered these up. I was unable to find something for Warrior through freecycle. The magic of Christmas still shines brightly in the eyes of the Solomon Family and more importantly the eyes of a 9 yr. old boy.

Dash said, "this is the best Christmas, ever!" He says that every year. I'm so glad he was able to utter those words this Christmas. Thank you to everyone who kept the magic alive for our family.
yeah, I'm kicking his patooty!

A knock came Christmas Eve and the Dash and Sweetheart opened the door on our door step was a giant Christmas stocking. It had 5 or 6 gallons of various ice cream as well as all the trimmings for a sundae. As I am in the kitchen putting away the contents of the stocking I over hear Dash saying, "It's GREAT to be a MEMBER of the church!" I completely agree Dash and echo, "It is GREAT to be a MEMBER of the church" for so many more reasons. I'm humbled that my children see and reap the blessings of sacrifice, charity and service. That they appreciate and recognize all that we have been blessed with during this time. That they understand humility and that Christ has been, and will be the core of our lives.

Again, I can not wait for this journey of unemployment to end. But the blessings and lessons that I have experienced through personal growth and watching my children's testimonies grow has been reaped and rewarded spiritually ten fold. It is quite ironic how we may approach physical bankrupcy that spiritually we are wealthier than any amount of money on earth. Since I have had to walk this path. I'm so grateful that I didn't allow this glitch to rob me spiritually. That my eyes, ears and heart were open to the small whisperings of the spirit to endure, to carry on and that tomorrow would bring a better day.

I'm so grateful for all that God has blessed me with for he has blessed me with more than I deserve. May 2010 bring you all the peace that you seek and may you seek after Him first, you will never go wrong. I promise!