Aha!

I had several revelations about The Christmas Season this weekend -- mostly about why I hate it so much. So, I thought I'd share. 'Cause my mother always taught me to share. ;)

You have to understand that I didn't grow up hating The Christmas Season. I liked it well enough as a kid. When I was a single gal, I didn't hate it. I pretty much did what I wanted, bought cute presents for my niece and nephew, and got good invites for Christmas dinner. I liked it after I was married. I decorated the house with long garlands of pine, made Christmas for me and The Husband, cooked outrageous foods for the IT Christmas Feeding Trough at work. Gee, that takes me right up to... the day I had kids. Oops.

So that's what it's about, is it? Why?

At The Christmas Season, we're supposed to go all out for out kids, making their life as exciting and magical as we can, so they'll remember it for the rest of their lives and tell their children about in glowing terms. Sorry, but as a homeschooling mother of autistic children, that's what I have to do each and every day. I'm working flat-out to get these kids as much enrichment and education as will fit into our schedule. I pour my entire heart and soul into these kids every day of the year, and I have to kick it up a notch for The Christmas Season? That's SO not happening. Like I'm not running on fumes the other 50 weeks of the year...

So let's look back at the people who invented The Christmas Season: the Victorians. (You thought I was going somewhere else, didn't you?) The Victorians made Christmas for their kids by loosening up a little and indulging them in improper and uncharacteristic ways. They'd let the kids eat cookies and candy, stay up late, decorate trees in the house. They invented a ficitonal character in a red suit that would bring them a present, so the kids wouldn't get any ideas about their parents being too, too indulgent. And I honestly think the adults had fun doing it.

So, I've decided that my mission this year is to be a little more indulgent and laid back. I'm gonna let them pick things to do and help them do it. I'm gonna let them decorate every flat surface in the house. I'm gonna let them make and eat red and green foods. I'm putting The Boy in charge of instigating any and all Christmas Cheer he wants. And I'll gladly join in. I just can't give any more.