Is There Room For Santa In School?

It's December 2nd! Already?! Can you even believe that?

I'm having a hard time believing it myself. I mean, 3 whole months of school-gone. Wow.

This is without a doubt-the most exciting time of the year for me. It is in part because I am ridiculously child-like. There is nothing that excites me like Christmas time. I can be in a foul mood-and walk into a mall that has Christmas music blasting, too many people per square foot and sparkly lights and 30 foot Christmas trees throughout-and I am instantly in a good mood. I love it.

During this season there are several things that are a give in for me. They are:

3. I will bake. I am not a baker, normally. I love to cook-baking is just not really my thing. For one-if I bake it I eat it, and I try not to eat too much of it but that just doesn't fly. I have no self control.

2. Hanson's Christmas album. Ha. You read that right. No need to re-read. It's called "Snowed In" and it makes me feel about 13 years old. Do you remember how exciting Christmas was for you at 13? Really stinking exciting. I had a very public love affair with Taylor Hanson-and listening to their Christmas album is just gonna happen for me. Every. Single. Year.

1. I'm gonna rub my Happy Christmas Attitude all over the place. Yep. I am. It excites me. Much of this excitement comes from the fact that I have 2 young kids. 5 1/2 and 3. Christmas is exciting for them. We have created wonderful, fun, festive traditions in our family-and I wait 11 months of the year to be able to see them come to life. Not much ruins that for me. Not even a Grinch.

With all of that being said. Here is my disclaimer.

Tomorrow-in our class, really awesome stuff is going to happen. Before school even started this year-each of our children's parents were asked what celebrations they celebrate and if there is anything they DO NOT celebrate. NOT ONE indicated that they don't Celebrate Christmas. Furthermore-upon intense investigation of my own-each of the children in our class mentioned being excited about Santa coming. This news really got me ready.

I know how completely lame this all must be for those of you who couldn't care less about the old guy, and it couldn't be more annoying for those of you who don't celebrate the same way as I do-BUT. This is why I titled this blog post "Is there room for Santa in School?"

I get excited about Santa because I feel like children grow up too fast. I love the opportunity for children to use their imaginations, and believe that something truly magical is happening in a world where they hear, and often feel bad things happening. I think that most of the toys on the market today-have robbed our children of being able to truly use their imaginations. I believe that society's pressures for children to be seen and not heard-has robbed them of good old giddy childhood. I believe that no matter what our religious beliefs, no matter our stance on "lying to our children"-imagination is something to be respected. It is something to be encouraged-and in our world today-it is something to be celebrated.

I must tell you. My 5 1/2 year old has one of the biggest imaginations known to man kind. I know that sounds ridiculous but I say it and truly believe it. He can take a kleenex and turn it into something that occupies him for an hour. I constantly hear him telling his sister "No Amelia-it's not real. You have to imagination it". :) When given the opportunity to watch tv-he normally lasts 7 minutes-and quickly leaves to go to his bedroom to build something fantastic with his lego. He is continuously thinking of new things to build with his lego. He never needs to be told "Build a house. Build an air plane" He just has the imagination required to pick up the blocks and construct. He also has a teacher this year that I can tell really encourages his enthusiasm for using his imagination. I am grateful.

This was so wordy. I would love to hear your opinions. I know we will all share different views on this-so when you voice them-know that I respect yours. Whatever they are-and whatever the reasons. I do respect them.

I will follow up tomorrow with some photos of what goes down.

Here's a hint: Our class brainstormed new ideas for our dramatic play center last week and it is now closed for construction. Here is what they decided: