Portable North Pole

The girls have received a very special message from the man in the red-suit…

See Charli’s message and Sophie’s message.

They were so amazed to receive their messages… asking, ‘How does he know my name? How does he know where we live?’

They were particularly amazed when he said how old they were and what they would like for Christmas. Charli got her question answered, ‘How does Father Christmas deliver all the presents round the world in one night?’ and Sophie got her question answered, ‘Does he eat all the cookies and biscuits left out for him?’

They are getting so excited. However, I’m finding all this Father Christmas thing a little bit much in a way. The girls definitely have the message of ‘giving’ and not just ‘receiving’, having spent hours happily making cards for so many people that have made a difference in their lives this year. The part that makes me feel a little miffed (and I’m having to keep a lid on it) is that it is us parents that are the true big people in red suits and doing all the hard yards; whilst at the same time making up fabricated stories about a man in a red suit who doesn’t actually exist. I know it’s all a bit of fun and was magical when I was a child, but I find it so contradictory to be teaching my children not to lie and yet blatantly doing just that! I’m trying to keep it all in perspective and be good humoured, but I generally tell my children the raw truth of life (in a language that they can relate to) and so this build up to Christmas, with lies aplenty, is getting a little tiring and perplexing! The more lies I tell, the more questions I am asked. I’m beginning to wonder what they really make of it all in their heads.

Some lies for this week…

In response to Sophie suggesting to Charli that they hide and peek on Father Christmas when he delivers the presents:
‘Father Christmas won’t visit until you are asleep on Christmas Eve. He keeps flying past until you are sound asleep.’

In response to Sophie noticing that the Father Christmas on ‘PNP’ above looks different to the one she met at Kirkcaldie and Stains:
‘He has lots of helpers around the world to talk to all the children. Of course he can’t actually be everywhere at once before Christmas Day, as he’s far too busy in his workshop in the North Pole.’

How does he get into our house as we don’t have a chimney?
‘Well, he has a magic key.’

In response to Charli asking how he gets round the world in one night?
‘It’s magic!’ (and now thanks to PNP, in the video above, there is a whole physics behind it, with Father Christmas controlling time and slowing it down!)

Who gives Father Christmas a present?
‘Oh Mrs Christmas and the elves’ – Charli has since written Father Christmas a special card, which I am to send off to him.

Sophie: Why doesn’t Father Christmas give you and Daddy a stocking?
‘We had a little present from Father Christmas when we were children, but we don’t need anything now‘

Though sometimes we choose a board-game for the family and pretend it is from Father Christmas – even writing the label in different hand-writing to our own (there is no end to our deception and lies!).