2013 JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS: NAUGHTY OR NICE

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

 2013 JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS:

NAUGHTY OR NICE?

Christmas 1953:  Santa and Marcia (4 years old).  Copyright 1953 Marcia Norwood

     

     Santa Claus came to our house on Christmas Eve when I was a little girl.  I never saw him, but I know he came...because he left presents for my sister, Gloria, my younger brothers:  Bret and Terry, and for me under the Christmas tree.  

     Presents from Santa were the only ones not wrapped.  

Christmas 1951:  Sister, Gloria (left) and Marcia (right).  Copyright 1951 Marcia Norwood

     We opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, and then, in Bush Family Tradition, our entire family dressed up in our new clothes to take communion at the midnight service at the Liberty Methodist Church in Liberty, Missouri.

Christmas 1954:  Sister, Gloria & Marcia (right).  Copyright 1954 Marcia Norwood.

     My first child, Kristin, was born in April 1972, and I assumed when Christmas Eve rolled around, Santa would leave unwrapped presents for her under our Christmas tree.  

     My husband, Ed, assumed that Santa would leave wrapped presents under our tree, and Kristin would discover them on Christmas morning - in keeping with his Norwood Family Tradition.

     We negotiated a compromise:  Santa left unwrapped presents on Christmas Eve.  We talked about the "Fun Christmas" and the "Real Christmas."  We read the Christmas Story from the Bible in Luke, Chapter 2, and then opened most of our gifts on Christmas Eve.

     Santa returned under cover of darkness to leave little gifts and candy in stockings on the mantle - so our daughter, Kristin, and our son, Benjamin (born in 1976) had something special on Christmas morning.  

     Our system worked until 1979, when our son, Ben, was three years old.

     "I don't believe in Santa Claus,"  Ben announced.

     "I do," said seven year old, Kristin.

We dressed up in "Old-Time" Attire for our Christmas 1979 Photo.  Ed, Benjamin, Marcia & Kristin.  Copyright 1979 Marcia Norwood

     What's a mother to do?  And a Christian mother at that!  

     I prayed.

     I asked other mothers and grandmothers how they handled The Santa Claus Question at their house.

     I searched the scriptures, and I looked up Santa Claus in the encyclopedia.  (This was back-in-the-day before Wikipedia.)

     "Santa Claus was a real man.  His name was Saint Nicholas," I proclaimed.  I showed Kristin and Ben his likeness in the World Book Encyclopedia.   "He was born in 270 AD and he died on December 6, 346 AD.  He was the Bishop of Myra, in Lycia, which is now part of modern-day Turkey.  He loved children and gave them secret gifts, like putting coins in their shoes that they left out.  He became the model for parents who give gifts in his name at Christmas."

     "Santa Claus died?!!!"  Kristin gasped.

     "So you and Dad do put all the stuff under the tree and in our stockings?!" asked Ben.

     ME:  "Yes! But it's not your job to tell any of your friends about this.  It's up to parents to decide what they tell their own children."

     A few days later our family met our friends, Guy and Glenna Hinton, and their four-year-old daughter, Janalyn, at Pizza Hut.  The adults sat together.  Kristin, Ben and Janalyn sat nearby at the kids' table.

     Janalyn's voice rang out in disbelief:   

"What did you say?"

 

Copyright 1979 Marcia Norwood

 Kristin tattled:

"Ben told Janalyn that Santa died."  

Janalyn pulled herself together -

not wanting to appear to have missed the big news:

 

"That's okay, Mrs. Norwood.  

I heard that Santa was sick.

I just hadn't heard that he died." 

 How do you handle 

The Santa Claus Question 

at your house?

     When do you open presents?  

       Christmas Eve?

          Christmas Morning?

Marcia's STORYTELLER Gift Project:

Homemade Slice 'n Bake Cookies

Marcia's Homemade Slice 'n Bake Packages!  Copyright 1994 Marcia Norwood

Homemade Slice 'n Bake Cookies

Prepare dough ahead.
Roll into log.
Wrap in Plastic Wrap or Waxed Paper

Chill (or Freeze) up to two weeks until needed.

Slice 'n Bake Refrigerator Cookies

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://tipnut.com/refrigerator-cookies/ 

Wrap It Up  

I sewed simple bags from cute Santa fabric, 

and put the slice and bake chilled logs inside. 

If you don't sew, just purchase bags 

made for wine bottles for your cookie logs.

Add gift tags/cards with directions for slicing and baking.

I painted Santa faces (with acrylic paint) 

on wooden spoons,

and used Snow-Tex to add texture on Santa's beard.

All supplies should be available 

at craft stores like:  Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and JoAnns.

Snow-Tex

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Snow-Tex

I painted and glued on a wooden plug for Santa's nose.

Wood Plugs

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/search.aspx?q=screw+plugs&src=M8YBSCW&ef_id=UcDt3QAAAS4@QCbq:20131208001804:s 

Don't forget to add  gift tags/cards 

with directions for slicing and baking.

  

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking