Christmas Spirit

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas. I've always said that Christmas is for two kinds of people: children and couples. I am neither. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate presents and I certainly don't mind buying presents. But, the stress and the rush of Christmas are not my favorite. I kind of always feel like there is one more thing to do. Today, for example, I have been going non-stop since 8am. I try not to bah humbug up everyone else's holiday, but I'll probably be one of those people who takes a cruise at Christmas.
Anyway, I've said all of that to say this: today, I had the priviledge to see Christmas through the eyes of a few four year olds. It definitely brought a tear to my eye. They love it so much and its not just the presents either. They love Santa and Christmas songs and shopping with their mommies and daddies. They love decorating the tree and dressing up for parties. Sure, they are going to tear into those presents, but they really do love Christmas.
Today, during circle time, I was talking about Rudolph and how he had a special talent that he used to help out a friend (for the record, just in case Anita reads this, I did not say Santa. Okay, maybe they guessed it, but I didn't say it.). And, they started telling me their Santa stories. One little girl told me that last Christmas her sister heard Santa say 'ho ho ho,' but she didn't and that she was going to see if she could hear it this year. If you could have seen the sincerity and hope in her eyes. I can't even explain it. Then, a little girl tells me that she woke up in the middle of the night and heard noises on the roof, but by the time she got to her window he was gone. But, when she went downstairs, she saw all the presents and she just knew it was him. And, they take the whole 'better not pout' thing super seriously, by the way.
Yes, the real reason for the season is Jesus' birth and most of these kids know that. But, I think that Jesus would want us to celebrate the hope that these kids have. I think he would want to encourage their dreams and awaken their imaginations. And, Santa certainly does that. All the holiday movies and all the songs and the Christmas cards and parties couldn't teach me about Christmas what eight little four year olds showed me today.