I got a little nostalgic for the old Santa believin’ days this year, I must admit. But I don’t miss the guilt I had for lying about Santa, nor do I miss the dread of breaking the news, a dread that coated my lying soul like a sticky film of cat hair-covered candy canes for so long. A couple of weeks ago Jackson did ask me if I were sure Santa wasn’t real. Oh, buddy, it’s hard to let go, especially after having absorbed all those supremely clarifying Christmas movies that deny the boring logic of adulthood so convincingly. The boring adulthood that pays for all those presents under the tree! But whatever.
Despite the last minute doubts, Jackson had not been able to resist prodding several of his peers about where they stood on the Santa question. I had to put a stop to it after I overheard him dismantling the psyche one of his friends by saying, “You know there’s no Santa, right? It’s just your parents.” That always feels nice, to know that after a playdate you’re handing back an irreparably damaged child to his mom and dad. Oh, Jackson got a talking to after that.
And a second-hand electronic drum set for Christmas. He can smack that thing as hard as he wants and, as long as we can limit the long-term headphone-volume damage, it’s no more annoying than a Christmas hamster in a creaky little hamster wheel. So, a little bit annoying, yes, especially when it’s 2:15 in the morning and our new hamster friends are politely taking turns enjoying a nocturnal spin around the old plastic habitat.
Their names are Wheelie and Snowball. I know it’s hard to tell, but squint — Snowball’s the dark one.
That’s funny, cause my 6 years old was doodling and wrote “what if Santa is really your parints?” – we held our breath and it never came up. But clearly this may be our last year with Santa.
AND we got a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy for Xmas (mainly for the hubs) but what did Declan INSIST on his middle name being?
Hamster.
I once knew a cat named Tuna.
You know, my brother broke the news to me in those exact words. “You know there’s no Santa, right? It’s just Mom and Dad.” Of course I acted totally non-chalant so my brother wouldn’t know what an infant I still was, and in the end I felt much cooler for knowing before most of my friends. That’s what older siblings do for you, make you start worrying about being “cool” way before your time.
we got Christmas hamsters this year, too. must be THE gift! ours are licorice and snowball.
I can trace all my fuckedupedness back to the night I saw my parents putting the presents out. That whole ‘trust your parents we know what’s good for you’ thing went right out the window and I never did again.
I’m like a dog with a bone. I CAN’T LET IT GO.
We babysat the class hamster over the summer. Nothing sucks more than cleaning that cage every couple of weeks.
I’m not usually one to mention the rapid growth of young humans belonging to pretend internet people, but Christ, your son looks about 12 in that picture. Excellent choice of instruments, also. Bands always need drummers. Guitarists are a dime a dozen.
Oh, we must come over to see the drums and the hamsters…Luna has asked Santa for both. Yes, you heard me right…Santa.
I thought I was finally off the hook this year, I mean, the kid is freaking 11 years old! She finally gave in last year and decided that she did not believe, but come Thanksgiving this year, she guilt tripped everyone in the house into lying to her for just a little longer…
I have a yellow dog named Blue.
We bought Rock Band 2 for Christmas, and my 3 year old totally discovered her inner drummer. I posted a cute photo of her drumming, plus revealed the name of my 12 year old son’s “band” in this post- http://table4five.net/2008/12/27/two-reasons-im-glad-we-bought-rock-band-2/
Waffles, heh.
I know, I miss those Santa days too. My 8yo daughter got a talking to at school a couple of weeks ago because she informed her 2nd grade classmates that not only is there no Santa, there is no God, either. Oy.
I’m really relieved for you that it’s a drum kit you can’t hear. I didn’t know those existed. Brilliant.
It’s funny to read about Jackson still wondering about Santa Claus alongside a photo of him looking 15.
I am jealous of your rodents. I want one.
Your kid looks impossibly cool. At his age, I was rocking the Holly Hobbie glasses and front teeth the size of Chiclets.
i am waiting for the Santa collapse. Lola is six soon to be seven and still going strong.
I can remember in third grade my kindergarten sister asked my mom about Santa. Even though I had heard and pretty much accepted the truth, I held my breath as my mom answered, silently hoping, just hoping I was wrong.
Now I have my own pants on fire lie goin on with my kids. It’s like a dark shadow shaped like a fat man following me around. Is there a special place in heaven or hell for this?
In my family, if you don’t believe, you don’t receive…period! I like that too, keeps people a little more joyful in my opinion. Instead of people grumbling publicly, they keep their mouth shut because they don’t want anyone to think they don’t believe…lest they don’t receive…
Boy did you just bring back memories of my drummer boyfriend in college and how cool it seems until you are begging for him to use the drum pads instead of the real thing…
but I digress. Happy happy to the whole Kennedy clan.
Dearest Mrs Kennedy,
Thank you for getting yet more creatures. Hurrah! Everytime the CFO gets thin lipped about imminent puppy, I point him in the direction of Fussy, where lizard, tortoise, bulldog and now hamster live in perfect harmony. They do, right? Mrs K? MRS K????
the drum set is SWEET!
Jackson looks so grown up in the picture. I can’t get over it!
I know this is going to sound lecture-y, but we were told when my daughter got a hamster (now deceased – beloved Acorn) that having 2 in a cage is asking for trouble. As in, they can rip the crap out of eachother trouble??? Just thought I’d mention it…
Happy New Year!
That has got to be the coolest hampster playground ever!
Oh my god, he’s BIG now!
I was let down easy on the Santa Myth and the Easter Bunny and the Toothfairy as well, all because my parents were bumbling idiots and could never disguise themselves well enough or be quiet enough or hide things well enough. I well remember the joy of finding them out! So, parents of small ones, don’t worry about it, just give them a wink, like, ‘isn’t this stupid?’ and then leave your kids’ goodies available on the closet shelf. They’ll be so empowered!
And if you really want to empower them, buy them pet rats instead.
Great blog. My first visit. I’ll be back…
Out-Numbered
Ok, I’m a little behind (on everything, but especially on my most important daily activity, blog reading.) Bummer about the Great Santa Scandal of ’08. Mine’s been delayed at least a while longer, though the last tooth extraction (from under the pillow) was a close call. And, on an unrelated note–love that you’re reading Geek Love. I adored that book when I first read it (what, 20 years ago?) and now you’ve made me remember it and I can read it again (and thanks to my sieve brain, it will be just like the first time.)