Spanglish Accent: holidays

This holiday season was the first in my parents new house. We were still in Breckenridge, where we have celebrated Christmas almost every year for the past 15 years, but we were in a new spot. Having just moved in less than 2 weeks before there were still some boxes laying around and artwork that needed to be hung, but the important things were all unpacked and ready for us. There were stockings hanging over the fireplace, there were seasonal books and DVD's for the kids, and there was not one, but two, trees fully decorated and awaiting presents.

It was perfect.

We started our celebrations like we always do, with a big Christmas Eve dinner in the dining room, but this year we added a little something new. We each had a cracker at our place. When opened they spilled their goodies onto the table - a paper hat, a sticker, and a small whistle. Nana became our conductor and each of us blew our whistle when asked. We "played" some Christmas songs. And we laughed. I think we should incorporate this into our dinner from now on...

We then opened our stockings and got the girls ready for what we hoped would be a long and restful sleep. Just before bed the girls laid out some cookies for Santa, a few carrots for the reindeer and some milk.

The next morning we awoke early and did what we do each year, made the girls wait about an hour while we got our coffee, baked the muffins and constructed the mimosas. They are actually very, very patient about this...And then we let them at it. We always allow the kids to open all of their gifts first. It gives them the chance to open uninterrupted and then play with their new toys while the adults take their time and open theirs in a more civilized manner.

All in all, another great holiday to add to the books! I hope you had as wonderful a Christmas day as we did.

These two are more patient than their years!

The ubiquitous ELF. You know the one, he shows up some time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and watches your every move. And magically this elf flies back to the North Pole each night to report if the family (usually the littles) have been naughty or nice. If you know nothing of the Elf, read here because you need to be caught up to read the rest of this post.

The whole phenomenon started about 8 years ago and has been growing in popularity ever since. What started as simply placing the elf each night and having it watch from one spot all day, and then moving it again to the next spot, has now evolved into placing the mischievous elf (and they all seem to be very mischievous) into ever increasingly elaborate scenarios and then posting fun pictures of the elf online. And this is what has the internet up in arms.

There is a huge, and growing, backlash against the elf. Some take the stance that by creating elaborate scenes for the elf and then posting the pictures online that we are engaging in the Mommy Wars a la "look what I do, and better than you" type. Some say that the elf is just creepy and actually psychologically damaging to children (article). Some wish they had the time to keep up with the elf, some choose not to do it for religious reasons and some just say bah humbug to everything during the season. To each his own. But after reading the above article that told me that I was only doing this to be able to Facebrag about it, that I am damaging my children with "developmentally inappropriate" traditions and worst of all, that I am perpetuating the Mommy Wars by participating, I had to respond.

Yes, we choose to elf (yep, a new verb).

We started the tradition last year because up until then the girls were just too young to appreciate the elf. And yep, dare I say it, the time and effort that goes into it. Because I knew if I was going to elf, I was going to ELF! I was going to make sure that the girls really got into it because why else bother? I knew that once I started there was no going back. I knew that for 24 days (our elf shows up on December 1) I was going to have one more thing to do each and every day. I went into it with my eyes wide open, my Pinterest account at my fingertips and a plan.

Yes, a plan. I have to have one or it all would fall apart about day 3. Sometime in about mid-October, I start looking for ideas, thinking of scenarios and keeping a list. I write them down in my free time and some time in late November I put together all 24 days of Fidget (our elf). I keep in mind where we are going to be because, being expats, we usually travel back to the U.S. this time of year, and I make sure that the visits away from home require less paraphernalia. If any of my scenarios need props (which few of them do) I make sure they are ready and handy. See, I don't want to spend a lot of time each night on this. I am just as tired as any other mommy by day's end and the last thing I want to do is elf at night. (That almost sounds naughty and like a whole other post). I make sure I am prepared and ready. Nothing I have on my list takes more than 5 minutes to set up and snap a picture of...

This was the list I made in November -

And I have stuck to it.

But I still haven't told you why I Elf on a Shelf...

Why, when I have so little free time each day do I take even 5 minutes out and stage a doll? Why add one more thing to do in an already hectic season? Why do I do it?

I do it because there is such a short time that my children will believe in the magic of Christmas. And there is a magic to Christmas. There is a magic to a fat man in a suit that flies all around the world guided by flying reindeer and delivers presents that a small army of elves have helped him make. The longer I can keep their faith in this, perhaps the easier it will be to shape their faith in other things.
I do it because the joy in their voices, the smiles on their faces and happiness in their hearts is palpable when they see Fidget.
I do it because their joy is my joy.
I do it because they live far, far, far away from family and we don't celebrate the holidays in our own home most years. Fidget is the one thing that follows them as they are uprooted during the holidays. It gives them just a little bit of reassurance that if Fidget can find them each day, no matter where they happen to wake up, then the big guy won't forget them on Christmas Eve either.
I share the adventures of Fidget on Facebook and Instagram, not to show that I am Mom of the Year, but because my family is so far away. They do not get to see the girls on a daily basis or even talk to them all of the time. By hitting send on an Instagram photo and attaching it to facebook, I can reach them all in one fell swoop. Yep, I could put it on my private photo site, but that then that would require everyone to check it. That is a lot to ask of my 88 year old grandfather...(and yes, he is on facebook). It lets them share in a little bit of the magic.
I do it because it takes me back to a time of my own innocence. An innocence that I get to see in them each and every day when Fidget is here.
I do it because I am still a kid at heart and believe in the magic and wonder of the season.
I do it because I like to be creative and I like sharing that with my kids.
I do it because in this crazy expat life we live at least one thing is constant. Each and every year, on December 1, Fidget shows up, pulling her pranks and moving around the house. And, just to clarify, we have never told the kids she watches to see if they are bad or good. We have never used her as our eyes and ears to Santa. We do not use her to "shape up" their behavior. She is their friend. One who makes messes they can't and doesn't get in trouble. One who gets to play at night and do nothing all day. A friend that they talk to when they think I am not watching. I grew up with a Santa that watched me sleep (which does seem a bit creepy) but there are more kids in the world now and Santa sometimes needs some help - don't we all?
I do it because I hope that it creates memories. And stories. And a bond that we can talk about when we are planning what their kids elves will do some day...
But most of all I do it because I love it. And because they love it. Isn't that what it all comes down to in life - doing what you love? What brings joy to you and your family?