Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Jig Is Up

Scene: The girls and I are eating breakfast at a neighborhood diner, when the conversation turns rather randomly to Christmas. Random because it's July. And the hottest day of the summer.

Bear (age 12): I think I'm going to ask for an iPod Touch for Christmas. (pointedly) I REALLY WANT a laptop, but I know I won't get one.

Me (even more pointedly): You think that has anything to do with us already having four computers?

Bear: (heaves sigh at the blatant unfairness that is her life)

Me: What about you, Bug? Have you already started thinking about Christmas?

Bug (age 9): Not much. I like the chromatic iPods, though. They come in pink. Will you get me one?

Me: No.

Bug: I guess I can ask Santa for one, though.

Me: Sure.

Bug (watching me closely): Some of my friends think there's not a Santa, but I know you guys would NEVER buy us some of that stuff.

Me: Mmm. Where do your friends think the presents come from?

Bug: Their parents.

Me: And what do you think?

Bug (hesitates): I think that it's Santa?

Me: Hmm. You sound like you're not sure. Do you ever wonder?

Bug (narrows eyes): Why?

Me: I'm just saying that if you ever wonder about something like that, you can always ask us.

Bug (eyes glued to my face): You mean if I wonder if it's you and Dad?

Me (striving for blank face and noncommittal tone, while Bear grins behind a napkin across the booth): Yeah, stuff like that.

Bug: And you'd tell me?

Me: If you really want to know.

Bug (thinks for a second): I really want to know. Is it you and Dad?

Me: You're sure you want to know?

Bug: Yes. Tell me. Is it?

Me (nods head quietly):

Bug (jaw drops): REALLY?

Me: Yes. Do you feel disappointed?

Bug (considers): No. (shakes head, obviously moving on quickly) When do you get the stuff? Where do you hide it?

Me (eyes narrowed): Out of state.

7 comments:

Jen on the Edge said...

That went surprisingly well.

But I'd still buy a lock for the closet.

jenn said...

I'm thinking we need to start hiding it in the garage at my husband's work! This one's a little too interested in that aspect of the whole gig.

My older one cried when she found out; this one leaps right to the "so how does it all work?" phase.

Dawn in D.C. said...

That was the hardest day for me, when Santa left for houses that had younger kids. *sniff* But it's okay, because someday I will have a grandbaby and Santa will be back.

smalltownme said...

"Out of state." I love it. I always hid things in the back of my closet. A mom's closet is too frightening for sons to enter!

Linda said...

Big day for Bug! I'm glad she took the news so well.

My sister and I used to peek in our mother's closet. Once she caught on to what we were doing, she started hiding our gifts at someone else's house. I guess we weren't savvy enough to peek when she wasn't home!

Country Girl said...

I think my boy knows and just plays it out for Leah's sake and in hopes to get more. I try not to play up the Santa thing to much for fear of disapointment. Sounds like you all did a good job handling it!

grandma said...

Good Job! Daddy Shortbread cried just like Bear when we finally had to tell him all about Santa. Then he got mad and said, "I know, why did you have to spoil it?"

:-(