Growing up we were poor. Somehow my mom always made sure Christmas was magical despite our finances. She even adopted families at Christmas and bought gifts for kids, parents, and a huge bunch of groceries to make a nice dinner. It wasn’t until years later I realized we could have qualified to BE one of those families. She loved giving THAT MUCH. That’s the lesson I learned from celebrating Christmas. 🎅🏻
SAME! I was raised by a single mom and we didn't have a lot, but some of my favorite Christmas memories is going to the mall and picking a child or family off the giving tree and shopping for them. We didn't have a lot but she always managed to give. THAT'S Christmas. And today we're shopping for a family in our neighborhood. I'll be 40 next year and we're still doing things like this together. We live in Utah and we're not Mormon but most of our neighbors are, so we reached out to find someone in our neighborhood who needs a little love. It takes a village to be human! ❤
I grew up Jehovah Witness never celebrated Christmas as a child similar reasons to what you mentioned. It was just a regular day first us. First Christmas I was 19 years old after I left the cult . 22 years later of many Christmas celebrations love to see how much joy the holiday brings my children and all the traditions we started.
My brother became a Witness after his first two children were born. He cut my parents and me out of his life. I lost my first child and his wife had to literally beg him to see me while I was in the hospital. My brother, his wife, and his children didn't even go to her funeral. He isn't a JW now but nothing will take away my pain from him not being there for me.
@@jennifergorges72 I´m so sorry, my mom is shunning me and other JWs I knew all my life, that religion sucks big time. I never had Christmas or bdays or most of other things that others had. And even years after I have left I just dont know how to do it. I feel you make your memories when you are kid and if you dont have them you feel like outsider. I have tried to learn, but it still doest feel right, so I gave up.
I wasnt of the Jehovah faith or Jewish but was mistaken because the fundie Christian faith i grew up with had some of the similar beliefs. I never celebrated a birthday and Christ wasn't born in December lol and Halloween was evil. Not till in early 20's did I start to celebrate. Took another 5 ish yrs till I met my now hubby that we go all out for all the holidays
@@tiiatuuli339 I'm so sorry for how you're being treated. Let me see... You don't have to celebrate like everyone else does! I stay home in my pajamas. I might play with my Legos or I might crochet. I'll watch some of my favorite TH-cam channels or some of my favorite movies and grab my ice cream. I do the things I love doing. I hope you find a way to celebrate the way you are comfortable with. ❤️
When my kids got old enough to ask "Who is Santa, really?" I told them he was the spirit of loving and gift giving to those we love. I told him he was someone who loves them very much, all the time. My oldest just took it in stride - like she goes through life - very even keeled. My middle one thought for a minute and then pronounced, "Oh, he's you and dad, isn't he?" My youngest said that the didn't want any presents if Santa wasn't giving them. Then thought for a minute and said, "Well, I guess it'd be okay to get presents from you and dad and the rest of the family." The wisdom of the young - LOL!
When Christmas as a day became painful for me (due to significant family losses and my deconversion from Christianity.) ... I started embracing it as a season... and one that didn't have any boundaries. So I watch Christmas movies year round, I might listen to Christmas music year round. It took the sting out of Christmas for me. I even enjoy walking around the stores and enjoying the Christmas village displays and ornaments. So be free, Sam, to listen to Christmas music year round. It's perfectly okay!
there are many of us out there, i let myself decide each year if i am going to celebrate Christmas or not because some years are harder then others. much love to yall this season ❤
In Australia we celebrate Christmas in July. That is because our December Christmases are hot. With Christmas in July we enjoy the traditional songs and food in the cold weather. We also then have two Christmases a year. Go for it Sam. Merry Christmas.
I didn’t grow up in a religious household, but I learned about Christ from Christmas and it brought me to understand his story and believe in Jesus. It’s a beautiful time.
I love this video. The spirit of Christmas. That's what it is all about. Im in Australia where at the moment we are experiencing a heat wave. From all corners of the globe, we share the magic of Christmas. ❤😀🌲
It's a little sad when kids find out about Santa. But... The cutest thing is Christmas morning when the littler kids showing what Santa brought them and the wows they give the little ones and the knowing smile the gave to us. They are so proud to be in the known and feel magic of Christmas in another way.
I am 69 years old and I still believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas, and I am not ashamed to admit it. It's the kindness of the season the giving of our smiles and time to those we do not know. Because isn't that what Christ was and is all about? So yes Virgina there is a Santa Claus - love this movie, and think every kid should have some popcorn and watch.
@ 👍🏽 it’s probably because I don’t like Christmas, people all of a sudden start putting on an act and behaving like they like each other etc. I can’t do with the fakeness of it all. I prefer fun without having to lie to children.
@@susiekathryn8570 I’m autistic and generally take things literally but apparently you didn’t mean what you said so I’m not sure what you’re talking about in that case 🤷🏻♀️
As a Canadian, I start listening to Christmas music after the 11th of November and I will stop listening after the 6th of January. We do the 12 days and keep the tree up until the Feast of the Epiphany!
😲 I am a 🇨🇦 who doesn't do that. Infact our 🎄 isn't even up yet because of our busy schedules with our 16 yr old and 20 yr old children; also we are going away to Alberta for Christmas
Melissa you look absolutely adorable in your Christmas outfit😍. Sam, I love how you embraced Christmas and were able to enjoy it childlike before you had kids. Then seeing it through the eyes of your children, it’s a beautiful thing🥰. I personally, love the spirit of Christmas, it has always been my favorite holiday🎅🏻🎄🤶🏼. It’s the commercialism of Christmas that I don’t appreciate. I don’t want the meaning of Christmas to ever be forgotten.
Me & my siblings used to spend the night at my parents house with our kids & Santa used to come to gram & papa’s house we would all gather around the living room while my dad read the about the birth of Jesus, then the kids were allowed to open their stockings while myself, my mom, my sister & brother would make breakfast. Then we would open all the gifts after breakfast with 10 grandkids, 6 adults & my parents it’s was so much fun. My sister passed away 9 yrs ago then my dad passed away 14 mos later. Holidays haven’t been the same since. My family still keeps the same tradition that my parents did because my kids want that so we have our 3 kids, spouses & 3 grandkids sleep here on Christmas Eve, we read from the bible, my husband & sons cook Christmas breakfast then we open gifts
Someday you need to take Sam and yourself on a pre-Christmas European river cruise where they stop for you to visit all of the Christmas market places. Those are so magical--food, fair, music, ornaments.
if they really come to europe then they have to go to the small christmas markets and not the big and well-known ones. You can't enjoy the Christmas market in Nürenberg or Dresden if there are so many people there.
@@alisseenstitching I loved the Prague one and the Erfurt one, but the Advent festival in our city this weekend was great too. The Christmas market only took place last weekend, from Friday to Sunday. It was wonderful.
When my daughter and I had the "Santa talk" I told her about the story of St Nicholas, and the lessons we take from it. I explained that when we are young, people who love us are Santa to us. And when we grow up, we become Santa to others. In this way, the spirit of Santa (and the love and joy of giving) stays with us always.
There’s a really incredible documentary on here called the very pagan Christmas and it’s so amazing at teaching why we do the things we do at this time of year ❤
For anyone who feels uncomfortable about misleading your kids, my parents had a brilliant solution. They introduced all of the imaginary characters by telling us that some people believe they’re real and some people don’t. They made it exciting to go to library and do our ‘santa research’ so that we could form our own opinions about him. They always taught us the importance of respecting other people’s beliefs. Personally, I enjoyed the holidays as a kid, but i never believed in Santa. My brother was a completely different thing. He believed in him for years. I remember thinking it was kind of cool that they approached it like this because when a kid at school told my brother that Santa wasn’t reaI, he wasn’t phased at all. He told the kid that not everyone believes the same way and just walked away. It was impressive.
I have a friend that listens to Christmas music all year long. I like to listen to it from Thanksgiving til New Year’s. I hope all of you have a joyful and blessed holiday!
That was me, all those years Teacher moved me outside of room, where they were singing songs or what ever they did was forbidden for my religion, I always was outside, alone, bullied cos this. Bdays were the worst time, ofc I never had them, but never could join someone else bday party. I can talk only my side, but I think mormon kids got much better rules. As JW kid it felt almost everything fun was forbidden as kid.
We are a big Christmas family. We celebrate it all big...Jesus, family, charity and Santa. Christmas morning anything was possible. It's magic where all your dreams could come true. My parents didn't buy many extras throughout the year, but holidays they went crazy. I do the same with my children. Even as an adult, it makes Christmas still feel magical and a good feeling to have once a year. I refuse to ever admit to even our adult children that Santa doesn't exist. Santa still came to my parents' home for me when I was a married mom. Only difference was he also came for my husband. My mother never would admit it wasn't Santa. In fact, when I was a 42 yr old newly widowed mom of 5, when my mom was on her deathbed with cancer, we tried to get her to admit Santa wasn't real before she passed. She refused and would only say "You have to believe in the magic," dying never admitting it. 🙂That is why every Christmas as an adult, I gave my parents a thank you letter to thank them for giving us magic and that break we had once a year from the stress, the responsibility and even heartache in adulthood. I've given the same to our children.🎄🎄
Listening to different Christmas traditions (or lack of), is fascinating!!! I grew up in Puerto Rico where we combined traditional practices with US gift giving. PR was very traditionally Catholic and my family (almost cult level) was all about the religious aspects… and a lot of my nostalgia comes from the early morning masses, misas de aguilnaldo, with beautiful traditional music in the tropical morning chill, followed by hot cocoa, crackers and cheese in the 12 days before Christmas. Christmas Eve is the important date with family, friends, a grand feast and midnight mass with the nativity play. Christmas Day (thanks to the US) had become gift day #1. After that there are celebrations until epiphany and even after. True gift day is on Epiphany when we left grass in a shoe box under the bed for the three kings camels. They would be replaced with wrapped gifts. My nostalgia is for the very specific music that I grew up listening to, the food, family, and cool tropical winter breeze. I am not religious anymore but this time of the year holds profound cultural meaning. Thank you for sharing your story!!!!!
Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year! There are 7 themed Christmas trees in my home right now and i love that we get to make magic happen for my kiddos. This year I’ve been teaching them more about Yule, and the pagan roots of our traditions.
I grew up knowing about Santa, the real person of Saint Nicholas, and the fun one, Santa Claus. We were allowed to enjoy the fun and the traditions as just that - fun and traditions! So that is how I raised my children. My dad did read us the Christmas Story on Christmas Day - but sometime during the season, he would read us the poem, The Night Before Christmas. It is my favorite holiday!
We celebrate both Christmas & Hanukkah in our home. Christmas from my side of the family and from my hubby's Dad's side of his family. His Mom was Jewish, so there's the Hanukkah part. He got very spoiled as a kid with 8 gifts for Hanukkah & also Christmas gifts! When we started dating, I would love buying 8 gifts for his Hanukkah and also for his niece's. We've been together for 30 years & don't do many gifts anymore, but I still like sending to his niece & now her husband. It's all about giving & traditions & memories, even though neither of us practices a religion. LOVE hearing your story. Merry & Happy to you!
I love the way you guys speak. So full of love and respect ❤ as an atheist who loves Christmas this video was so full of things I agree with and so interesting! Merry Christmas to all from Canada 🎄
Have the Merriest of Merry Christmases! It’s a magical time of year for children of all ages. And this year a first for our newest grandson, our sweet little Woody💙
Would you guys be able to share in a video what your relationship is like with the Wissen family now? I’ve been dying to hear if you’re still just as close? Are they still surrogate parents? What happened after you left the LDS? Were you able to repair that relationship?
I feel like there are a lot of good messages from Jesus and I don’t need a middleman in the form of a church or anything else to tell me that. My spiritual journey is between me and God, nobody else.
Sam is quite right. I live in Southern California WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING. Christmas music is one of the only things that gets me through the summer. (Well, that and buying or making presents in the sweltering days of August and September. Yep, my shopping was finished before Halloween this year!) I wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and much peace and joy in the new year. Cordial regards, jill in SoCal
I married a man who grew up in the 2x2’s . They do not celebrate christmas and the women look a LOT like the FLDS women. He also celebrated Christmas for the first time at 19 with my family and it made him LOVE christmas. We’ve been married many years now and his fav tradition is all of our family being together at the holiday.
No one in our family held the Santa thing against the adults, because it was a rite of passage for us. The year that we announced we no longer believed in Santa, we got to stay up with the adults when the kids went to bed on Christmas Eve. Then it was explained to us that Santa is a metaphor for the spirit of the joy of giving, and now that we knew he isn't a real, living person, we get to BE Santa. Then we would get to help the adults fill the stockings and set out the gifts labeled as "from Santa" and have a cup of cocoa at the table with the grown-ups before going to bed. It was impressed on us that it was important to let the little ones believe in the Santa story until they were ready to participate in the giving, so we had to keep the secret so they could come to that knowledge when they were ready instead of someone taking away the joy of the story. Re: Christmas music: Christmas music should be listened to starting the first Sunday in Advent and through the 6th of January (which is when the tree and other decorations should be taken down, ideally with a family party with hot spiced cider). My husband can't tolerate it 24/7, so I have had to learn to stick to a few hours per day during that time. I did break the rule and listen to Christmas music earlier the year my mother died. It was mid-November; we knew she needed to move to the hospice center at 9 am, she was moved around 1 PM, and from that point until she passed away just before midnight, I played Christmas music because she loved it so much and wouldn't be there to listen to it with us that year.
My family has always celebrated Christmas. It's less special now. Because my uncle passed, and my aunt moved into a nursing home. So we will no longer have the big gatherings at her house. Us kids would play pool and pinball downstairs. They still had Calico (spelling) game. We always had roast beef (or something), and my grandma's cheesy potatoes. I'm so thankful my aunt gave me her recipe. So maybe I can make it. I would cheat and buy the already made potatoes. Fun fact, she may have gotten the recipe from a Mormon. And on my other side, my mom's side we would go to my aunt's. One year I got Monopoly. I loved it. We spent all night playing it, I think I won. I think my aunt regretted buying it.
I totally get wanting to do your favourite part about Christmas all year around. In Finland we make these Christmas tartlets and most people only make them around Christmas time. I make them all year around. They are always the last patch of last Christmas or the first patch of coming Christmas. So listen to the Christmast songs. I think it's a way to keep Christmast spirit in your heart all year around.
You two are just the best. What a lovely Christmas ethos. If we all had this attitude what a great world this would be. Let's all be a bit more "Sam & Melissa" Merry Christmas x
I enjoy Christmas music year round. It gives me a warm feeling inside. The songs brings back memories of my life. Music and smells tend to trigger those kind of feelings. I enjoy your videos. Merry Christmas 😊
We made ornaments as well, but when my kids got married and left home, I packed up some of their best ornaments and gave them to them for their own tree. Most young adults don't have money to fully decorate a tree of their own yet, and have loved having those reminders of their childhoods. Our church usually had a children's musical and I would find an ornament pertaining to the play or the character they played. They have carried on this little tradition with their own kids. We also read the Luke 2 story just before opening gifts.
You can play Christmas music in July because it’s the half mark to Christmas. Then you have to wait again until after Thanksgiving. But you also should buy some school supplies and donate them to school in July so the children that don’t have school supplies have them.
I grew up in a very strict/cultlike version of catholicism, and as well as being poor, we only ever got one present from my parents and one unwrapped present from Santa crammed in the stocking unwrapped. I was born in 1972, so I remember one year it was a wind up R2-D2 action figure from Star Wars. I was VERY young when I realized the rich kids at school got tons of presents from santa, and they were all wrapped, and I remember confronting my mom about it. I would not take no for an answer because I sensed the injustice, and we were a VERY social justice minded family, so she fessed up. I couldn't have been more than 7 or 8. After that Santa never came again and I was SO glad that I was right and had figured it out, but VERY angry at my mother for lying to me. I honestly feel very scarred about having been lied to by her and everyone I tell that story laughs at me, but it is not funny to me at all. I took (and continue to take) the truth very seriously and any betrayal of that is like a stab in my heart. Also, xmas was only every really about Jesus for us... we used to go to midnight mass and had a dinner with my cousins. I remember one year watching all the women cooking and cleaning and watching all the men drunk playing guitars and singing and it all seemed so so so unfair to me. Needless to say I grew up to be a proudly radical feminist SJW and non-binary to boot!!
@@mimijulene6307 Social Justice Warrior! It's mostly used as an insult by right wingers, but I embrace it completely. I will fight for social justice to my dying day.
OOHH I just got to the point where Melissa is saying that your kids won't be mad when they find out santa's not real/parents' lied. I actually beg to differ. It was a monumental betrayal to me. One I have never forgotten. I know she was doing the best she could, but she didn't have to lie.
Santa aka st nick was a real person. The story of st nick is what I told my daughter when it was time. He was a generous man and gave to others among many other things. This is how the Santa story evolved . We are continuing his good deeds at Christmas time. The holidays Christians celebrate now evolve around pagan holidays back in the day this was done to wipe out the pagan religion.
Your video is great! I love Melissa's facial expressions "Jesus has no birthday party!" Super Sweet Sam loves the Christmas Spirit. My dad's family was HUGE and my grandma held a big Christmas party for a few days and everything was decked out! (Catholic) But one of my favorite traditions we did for years was at home. My 2 step sisters and I would build a Gingerbread House for Christmas and have fun making them .... interesting. But on New years night we would put fire crackers in the gingerbread houses and blow them up. Whoever's house blew up the biggest and made the biggest mess won bragging rights for the year and didn't have to clean up! It was so much fun!
I love Christmas. We had a lot of hard years where Christmas just barely scraped by. I never lost my hope and love of the season though. I taught my kids that Christmas is more than a man in a red suit. I taught them that Santa is the warm loving spirit of the season. He stands for the love, hope, family, and giving of the whole season. And I know Jesus wasn't born "on Christmas day". I know the date was chosen as a main date for all religions to celebrate his birth. I also realize not everyone celebrates Christmas per say and that is just fine.
Christmas season for me begins with the Macy’s Christmas parade. Once I see the Radio City Rockets perform that begins the Christmas season for me. I start watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. I’m a senior citizen so I prefer the older Christmas artists like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, definitely the “Big Band songs for Christmas.” My entire family always made a big effort at Christmas and my mom and my aunts made the traditional Christmas candies! What a treat that was!! I love the Christmas season and all the huge family gatherings. I wish your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I was raised in the denomination men call the Church of Christ. Our only religious holidays were Sunday. We did celebrate secular Christmas and Easter. I decided when I was three that Christmas was Santa’s birthday and that’s why we left him adult eggnog and coconut cake. I taught my kids he is the spirit of love and giving. Our family tradition was to buy each person an ornament where we’d put their name & year so when each kid moved out they got a batch of holiday ornaments. We also would pick up jams, jellies & honey through the year and share them around with tiny biscuits. Edit: we sang Christmas carols year round
Christmas season for me begins with the Macy’s Christmas parade. Once I see the Radio City Rockets perform that begins the Christmas season for me. I start watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. I’m a senior citizen so I prefer the older Christmas artists like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, definitely the “Big Band songs for Christmas.” My entire family always made a big effort at Christmas and my mom and my aunts made the traditional Christmas candies! What a treat that was!! I love the Christmas season and all the huge family gatherings.
My father was from Norway Lofoten where it was dark for 3 months so he celebrated light during xmas with the christmas tree. Our tree had to gave 1000 lights 😅 my mom was Dutch and we grew up ib Holland where 5 december Saint Nicolas is traditionally celebrated with presents. Nowadays i celebrate 24 december with presents and 25 with a big meal, 26 resting and watching movies🎅
I absolutely adore that you guys have your kids pick out toys for other kids who are less fortunate. I wonder if you've ever done Operation Christmas Child where you put items in a shoebox to send. I absolutely adored doing those. Especially as it allowed for some creativity since you could only fit whatever could go in a shoebox. Also, regarding Santa, my family has always kept the belief of Santa alive. As the younger kids got older, we'd help the even younger kids still believe, even if we necessarily didn't. Now, they are at the age where they know that gifts are from other relatives, as well as some from Santa 😉. Helps keep him alive in some shape or form.
So interesting how different Christmas differs. Here in the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 5, usually for the children. Christmas Eve is for the faithful. We don't have 1 Christmas day but 2. So that you can celebrate with family and friends(Even if you don't believe). The gingerbread house and the socks tradition has only been on the rise in recent years. Merry Christmas 🎄
Understanding that Santa Claus is based on St Nick makes the explanation easier when the kids are older/ready for the reality. But celebrate St Nick on Dec 6, and Santa comes on Christmas morning!
this was a great video! i love hearing about peoples expierences growing up especially being so different from mine. i grew up in a completely non religious family and having a December birthday, I've gone through a love and hate relationship with Christmas. my constant tradition as an elder millennial is watching A Muppets Christmas Carol and Scroogd haha. i love a good Christmas Carol interpolation.
I grew up atheist, but love christmas (I get really bouncy and happy when the christmas lights go up). We always viewed it as a time to be kind and spread love & have quality time with family since the rest of the year is so busy. Despite my love of Christmas, July is too early for Christmas music to me! November through like the first week or two of January is fair game though!
I don't even remember how old I was when I learned the "truth" about Santa. I have a distinct memory of asking my parents how he got in without us having a chimney, and they said they leave the door unlocked. I believed them. 😅 And then later on, I generally remember playing along for the sake of my younger siblings. However I "found out" must not have been very traumatic. 😅😘
I was furious with my parents because they taught me never to lie and then they lied about Santa. My mother swears that she never said Santa was real and she never encouraged us to think of it as real. Her stance was that Santa is the spirit of Christmas, but of course I didn’t catch that subtlety and I was just so mad. I’m glad I wasn’t a parent because I would’ve had to make that a decision for my kids to either be mad at me for lying or to be mad at me for depriving them of the magic. There’s no way to win Santa. I don’t even like little Santa figurines or anything. I do like Santa hats, but the ones I made for myself are purple and yellow green. Not Grinch just colors I like. More like elves or pixies.
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Growing up we were poor. Somehow my mom always made sure Christmas was magical despite our finances. She even adopted families at Christmas and bought gifts for kids, parents, and a huge bunch of groceries to make a nice dinner. It wasn’t until years later I realized we could have qualified to BE one of those families. She loved giving THAT MUCH. That’s the lesson I learned from celebrating Christmas. 🎅🏻
What a mom!!!!
SAME! I was raised by a single mom and we didn't have a lot, but some of my favorite Christmas memories is going to the mall and picking a child or family off the giving tree and shopping for them. We didn't have a lot but she always managed to give. THAT'S Christmas. And today we're shopping for a family in our neighborhood. I'll be 40 next year and we're still doing things like this together. We live in Utah and we're not Mormon but most of our neighbors are, so we reached out to find someone in our neighborhood who needs a little love. It takes a village to be human! ❤
@ I love this. I’m 59 and still carrying it on.
I grew up Jehovah Witness never celebrated Christmas as a child similar reasons to what you mentioned. It was just a regular day first us. First Christmas I was 19 years old after I left the cult . 22 years later of many Christmas celebrations love to see how much joy the holiday brings my children and all the traditions we started.
My brother became a Witness after his first two children were born. He cut my parents and me out of his life. I lost my first child and his wife had to literally beg him to see me while I was in the hospital. My brother, his wife, and his children didn't even go to her funeral. He isn't a JW now but nothing will take away my pain from him not being there for me.
@@jennifergorges72 I´m so sorry, my mom is shunning me and other JWs I knew all my life, that religion sucks big time. I never had Christmas or bdays or most of other things that others had. And even years after I have left I just dont know how to do it. I feel you make your memories when you are kid and if you dont have them you feel like outsider. I have tried to learn, but it still doest feel right, so I gave up.
I wasnt of the Jehovah faith or Jewish but was mistaken because the fundie Christian faith i grew up with had some of the similar beliefs. I never celebrated a birthday and Christ wasn't born in December lol and Halloween was evil. Not till in early 20's did I start to celebrate. Took another 5 ish yrs till I met my now hubby that we go all out for all the holidays
💔 Congratulations on leaving the cult 👏 Sadly even some Christians don't celebrate Christmas. 🎄 Merry Christmas from Saskatchwan 🇨🇦
@@tiiatuuli339 I'm so sorry for how you're being treated. Let me see... You don't have to celebrate like everyone else does! I stay home in my pajamas. I might play with my Legos or I might crochet. I'll watch some of my favorite TH-cam channels or some of my favorite movies and grab my ice cream. I do the things I love doing. I hope you find a way to celebrate the way you are comfortable with. ❤️
When my kids got old enough to ask "Who is Santa, really?" I told them he was the spirit of loving and gift giving to those we love. I told him he was someone who loves them very much, all the time. My oldest just took it in stride - like she goes through life - very even keeled. My middle one thought for a minute and then pronounced, "Oh, he's you and dad, isn't he?" My youngest said that the didn't want any presents if Santa wasn't giving them. Then thought for a minute and said, "Well, I guess it'd be okay to get presents from you and dad and the rest of the family." The wisdom of the young - LOL!
When Christmas as a day became painful for me (due to significant family losses and my deconversion from Christianity.) ... I started embracing it as a season... and one that didn't have any boundaries. So I watch Christmas movies year round, I might listen to Christmas music year round. It took the sting out of Christmas for me. I even enjoy walking around the stores and enjoying the Christmas village displays and ornaments. So be free, Sam, to listen to Christmas music year round. It's perfectly okay!
I got you! I hate holidays for the same reason l. I only celebrate birthdays and Halloween.
there are many of us out there, i let myself decide each year if i am going to celebrate Christmas or not because some years are harder then others. much love to yall this season ❤
In Australia we celebrate Christmas in July. That is because our December Christmases are hot. With Christmas in July we enjoy the traditional songs and food in the cold weather. We also then have two Christmases a year. Go for it Sam. Merry Christmas.
how do you celebrate christmas in australia? isn't it summer in december? do you have a bbq in the garden or on the beach?
Man, I’ll bet all the kiddos in Australia absolutely love that!! 😊 🎅🏼 🌲
@ We do all of that and still sing about sleigh bells and snow. It’s fun to do the traditional stuff in the cold weather.
I didn’t grow up in a religious household, but I learned about Christ from Christmas and it brought me to understand his story and believe in Jesus. It’s a beautiful time.
❤️that Merry Christmas 🎄
I love this video. The spirit of Christmas. That's what it is all about. Im in Australia where at the moment we are experiencing a heat wave. From all corners of the globe, we share the magic of Christmas. ❤😀🌲
It's a little sad when kids find out about Santa. But... The cutest thing is Christmas morning when the littler kids showing what Santa brought them and the wows they give the little ones and the knowing smile the gave to us. They are so proud to be in the known and feel magic of Christmas in another way.
I love Sam’s view of Christmas- so loving & grounded & well explained about love. It’s how we should all think of it. I love Christmas carols .
Why should we all think of it the way sammy does?
Christmas carols, yes. But don't forget the Christmas Susans and Jennifer's as well.
I am 69 years old and I still believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas, and I am not ashamed to admit it. It's the kindness of the season the giving of our smiles and time to those we do not know. Because isn't that what Christ was and is all about? So yes Virgina there is a Santa Claus - love this movie, and think every kid should have some popcorn and watch.
My parents always said, the day I stop believing in Santa, that day the presents stop coming! I’m 74. I still believe!
Don’t worry, the world is full of people who believe in whatever they’re told, so you’re not alone. You might be stupid but you’re not alone.
@@autumn5852 That's not meant to be literal. You missed the *fun.*
@@autumn5852 ???
@ 👍🏽 it’s probably because I don’t like Christmas, people all of a sudden start putting on an act and behaving like they like each other etc. I can’t do with the fakeness of it all. I prefer fun without having to lie to children.
@@susiekathryn8570 I’m autistic and generally take things literally but apparently you didn’t mean what you said so I’m not sure what you’re talking about in that case 🤷🏻♀️
As a Canadian, I start listening to Christmas music after the 11th of November and I will stop listening after the 6th of January. We do the 12 days and keep the tree up until the Feast of the Epiphany!
😲 I am a 🇨🇦 who doesn't do that. Infact our 🎄 isn't even up yet because of our busy schedules with our 16 yr old and 20 yr old children; also we are going away to Alberta for Christmas
Melissa you look absolutely adorable in your Christmas outfit😍. Sam, I love how you embraced Christmas and were able to enjoy it childlike before you had kids. Then seeing it through the eyes of your children, it’s a beautiful thing🥰. I personally, love the spirit of Christmas, it has always been my favorite holiday🎅🏻🎄🤶🏼. It’s the commercialism of Christmas that I don’t appreciate. I don’t want the meaning of Christmas to ever be forgotten.
She looks like a football player or something with those shoulders 😂 she’s got bigger shoulders than Sam
Me & my siblings used to spend the night at my parents house with our kids & Santa used to come to gram & papa’s house we would all gather around the living room while my dad read the about the birth of Jesus, then the kids were allowed to open their stockings while myself, my mom, my sister & brother would make breakfast. Then we would open all the gifts after breakfast with 10 grandkids, 6 adults & my parents it’s was so much fun. My sister passed away 9 yrs ago then my dad passed away 14 mos later. Holidays haven’t been the same since. My family still keeps the same tradition that my parents did because my kids want that so we have our 3 kids, spouses & 3 grandkids sleep here on Christmas Eve, we read from the bible, my husband & sons cook Christmas breakfast then we open gifts
Christmas music can begin the day after Thanksgiving. Thankyou and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Someday you need to take Sam and yourself on a pre-Christmas European river cruise where they stop for you to visit all of the Christmas market places. Those are so magical--food, fair, music, ornaments.
if they really come to europe then they have to go to the small christmas markets and not the big and well-known ones. You can't enjoy the Christmas market in Nürenberg or Dresden if there are so many people there.
@@Stein0001 I have enjoyed the markets in Budapest, Lucerne & Basel, Breisach, and Strasburg, Heidelberg, and Koblenz during various cruises.
@@alisseenstitching I loved the Prague one and the Erfurt one, but the Advent festival in our city this weekend was great too. The Christmas market only took place last weekend, from Friday to Sunday. It was wonderful.
I'm 62 with 4 grown children. We have always believed in Santa as the Spirit of Giving. So, we all will always believe in Santa.😊
When my daughter and I had the "Santa talk" I told her about the story of St Nicholas, and the lessons we take from it. I explained that when we are young, people who love us are Santa to us. And when we grow up, we become Santa to others. In this way, the spirit of Santa (and the love and joy of giving) stays with us always.
There’s a really incredible documentary on here called the very pagan Christmas and it’s so amazing at teaching why we do the things we do at this time of year ❤
Im absolutely loving this series.
Your in-depth thought processes are really illuminating and helps me think
thanks so very much for sharing.
For anyone who feels uncomfortable about misleading your kids, my parents had a brilliant solution. They introduced all of the imaginary characters by telling us that some people believe they’re real and some people don’t. They made it exciting to go to library and do our ‘santa research’ so that we could form our own opinions about him. They always taught us the importance of respecting other people’s beliefs. Personally, I enjoyed the holidays as a kid, but i never believed in Santa. My brother was a completely different thing. He believed in him for years. I remember thinking it was kind of cool that they approached it like this because when a kid at school told my brother that Santa wasn’t reaI, he wasn’t phased at all. He told the kid that not everyone believes the same way and just walked away. It was impressive.
Your Videos are fascinating & the pair of you are just lovely together. Wishing your family a happy Christmas holiday 🎄🎄
Melissa and her reindeer antlers is just too stinking cute. Merry Christmas to both of you and your family❤️
I have a friend that listens to Christmas music all year long. I like to listen to it from Thanksgiving til New Year’s.
I hope all of you have a joyful and blessed holiday!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year you guys!!❤
I always felt bad for the JW girl I went to grade school with becauss for everything Christmas she had to sit in the hall. Oof.
That was me, all those years Teacher moved me outside of room, where they were singing songs or what ever they did was forbidden for my religion, I always was outside, alone, bullied cos this. Bdays were the worst time, ofc I never had them, but never could join someone else bday party. I can talk only my side, but I think mormon kids got much better rules. As JW kid it felt almost everything fun was forbidden as kid.
It brings joy to my heart every time Sam says, "yes we do" He shows so much love each time.
I’ve been wondering this, thanks for sharing. ❤ love y’all’s channel. M hubby and I listen to Christmas music all year long. Merry early Christmas.
We are a big Christmas family. We celebrate it all big...Jesus, family, charity and Santa. Christmas morning anything was possible. It's magic where all your dreams could come true. My parents didn't buy many extras throughout the year, but holidays they went crazy. I do the same with my children. Even as an adult, it makes Christmas still feel magical and a good feeling to have once a year. I refuse to ever admit to even our adult children that Santa doesn't exist. Santa still came to my parents' home for me when I was a married mom. Only difference was he also came for my husband. My mother never would admit it wasn't Santa. In fact, when I was a 42 yr old newly widowed mom of 5, when my mom was on her deathbed with cancer, we tried to get her to admit Santa wasn't real before she passed. She refused and would only say "You have to believe in the magic," dying never admitting it. 🙂That is why every Christmas as an adult, I gave my parents a thank you letter to thank them for giving us magic and that break we had once a year from the stress, the responsibility and even heartache in adulthood. I've given the same to our children.🎄🎄
Love this episode so much! Thank you for sharing your Christmas stories!
They say Christmas in July so I do watch Christmas movies and listen to songs for that month. Christmas brings joy to my heart
Just Beautiful you wonderful humans ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Listening to different Christmas traditions (or lack of), is fascinating!!! I grew up in Puerto Rico where we combined traditional practices with US gift giving.
PR was very traditionally Catholic and my family (almost cult level) was all about the religious aspects… and a lot of my nostalgia comes from the early morning masses, misas de aguilnaldo, with beautiful traditional music in the tropical morning chill, followed by hot cocoa, crackers and cheese in the 12 days before Christmas.
Christmas Eve is the important date with family, friends, a grand feast and midnight mass with the nativity play.
Christmas Day (thanks to the US) had become gift day #1.
After that there are celebrations until epiphany and even after.
True gift day is on Epiphany when we left grass in a shoe box under the bed for the three kings camels. They would be replaced with wrapped gifts.
My nostalgia is for the very specific music that I grew up listening to, the food, family, and cool tropical winter breeze.
I am not religious anymore but this time of the year holds profound cultural meaning.
Thank you for sharing your story!!!!!
I start listening to Christmas music on Thanksgiving.
Christmas movies start the day after Thanksgiving when I'm putting my tree up.
Same!
Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year! There are 7 themed Christmas trees in my home right now and i love that we get to make magic happen for my kiddos. This year I’ve been teaching them more about Yule, and the pagan roots of our traditions.
Good for you! Love, sharing and wishes for peace are wonderful things to celebrate and teach your children. Have a very Merry Christmas.
What a lovely podcast! Enjoy your Christmas season!
I grew up knowing about Santa, the real person of Saint Nicholas, and the fun one, Santa Claus. We were allowed to enjoy the fun and the traditions as just that - fun and traditions! So that is how I raised my children. My dad did read us the Christmas Story on Christmas Day - but sometime during the season, he would read us the poem, The Night Before Christmas. It is my favorite holiday!
Merry Christmas from Germany!❤
We celebrate both Christmas & Hanukkah in our home. Christmas from my side of the family and from my hubby's Dad's side of his family. His Mom was Jewish, so there's the Hanukkah part. He got very spoiled as a kid with 8 gifts for Hanukkah & also Christmas gifts!
When we started dating, I would love buying 8 gifts for his Hanukkah and also for his niece's. We've been together for 30 years & don't do many gifts anymore, but I still like sending to his niece & now her husband. It's all about giving & traditions & memories, even though neither of us practices a religion. LOVE hearing your story. Merry & Happy to you!
@@kittencreates2785 That's wonderful!
I love the way you guys speak. So full of love and respect ❤ as an atheist who loves Christmas this video was so full of things I agree with and so interesting! Merry Christmas to all from Canada 🎄
Have the Merriest of Merry Christmases! It’s a magical time of year for children of all ages. And this year a first for our newest grandson, our sweet little Woody💙
Such a sweet video! Merry Christmas! 🎄
Would you guys be able to share in a video what your relationship is like with the Wissen family now? I’ve been dying to hear if you’re still just as close? Are they still surrogate parents? What happened after you left the LDS? Were you able to repair that relationship?
Thank you for sharing your Christmas traditions. Love hearing about your lives together ❤
Christmas Music all year round! 🎉
Christmas in July. I listen to Christmas music in the month of July and then again starting around November 1st through the end of December.
I feel like there are a lot of good messages from Jesus and I don’t need a middleman in the form of a church or anything else to tell me that. My spiritual journey is between me and God, nobody else.
Sam is quite right. I live in Southern California WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING. Christmas music is one of the only things that gets me through the summer. (Well, that and buying or making presents in the sweltering days of August and September. Yep, my shopping was finished before Halloween this year!) I wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and much peace and joy in the new year. Cordial regards, jill in SoCal
This was such a positive loving vlog!❤
I married a man who grew up in the 2x2’s . They do not celebrate christmas and the women look a LOT like the FLDS women. He also celebrated Christmas for the first time at 19 with my family and it made him LOVE christmas. We’ve been married many years now and his fav tradition is all of our family being together at the holiday.
No one in our family held the Santa thing against the adults, because it was a rite of passage for us.
The year that we announced we no longer believed in Santa, we got to stay up with the adults when the kids went to bed on Christmas Eve. Then it was explained to us that Santa is a metaphor for the spirit of the joy of giving, and now that we knew he isn't a real, living person, we get to BE Santa. Then we would get to help the adults fill the stockings and set out the gifts labeled as "from Santa" and have a cup of cocoa at the table with the grown-ups before going to bed. It was impressed on us that it was important to let the little ones believe in the Santa story until they were ready to participate in the giving, so we had to keep the secret so they could come to that knowledge when they were ready instead of someone taking away the joy of the story.
Re: Christmas music:
Christmas music should be listened to starting the first Sunday in Advent and through the 6th of January (which is when the tree and other decorations should be taken down, ideally with a family party with hot spiced cider). My husband can't tolerate it 24/7, so I have had to learn to stick to a few hours per day during that time. I did break the rule and listen to Christmas music earlier the year my mother died. It was mid-November; we knew she needed to move to the hospice center at 9 am, she was moved around 1 PM, and from that point until she passed away just before midnight, I played Christmas music because she loved it so much and wouldn't be there to listen to it with us that year.
My family has always celebrated Christmas. It's less special now. Because my uncle passed, and my aunt moved into a nursing home. So we will no longer have the big gatherings at her house. Us kids would play pool and pinball downstairs. They still had Calico (spelling) game. We always had roast beef (or something), and my grandma's cheesy potatoes. I'm so thankful my aunt gave me her recipe. So maybe I can make it. I would cheat and buy the already made potatoes. Fun fact, she may have gotten the recipe from a Mormon. And on my other side, my mom's side we would go to my aunt's. One year I got Monopoly. I loved it. We spent all night playing it, I think I won. I think my aunt regretted buying it.
What a lovely video! I love your love of everyone
what a fabulous video!!!
Love your traditions for Christmas 🎄
Merry Christmas! 🎅🏻🤶🎄👋🏼😁💞
Christmas 🎅🏼 Music 🎶 all year ❤
I totally get wanting to do your favourite part about Christmas all year around. In Finland we make these Christmas tartlets and most people only make them around Christmas time. I make them all year around. They are always the last patch of last Christmas or the first patch of coming Christmas. So listen to the Christmast songs. I think it's a way to keep Christmast spirit in your heart all year around.
Christmas all year long!
Traditions are so important to me. I'm so thankful to be given the chance to move back home to Pennsylvania to be with my family and friends.
You two are just the best. What a lovely Christmas ethos. If we all had this attitude what a great world this would be. Let's all be a bit more "Sam & Melissa" Merry Christmas x
I enjoy Christmas music year round. It gives me a warm feeling inside. The songs brings back memories of my life. Music and smells tend to trigger those kind of feelings. I enjoy your videos. Merry Christmas 😊
Sam, I love your Merry Christmas rebellion!! 😂 that’s so fantastic!
Thank you for sharing ❤
I to love the spirit of Christmas, it brings out my inner child.
Christmas music after Thanksgiving.
Merry Christmas 🎁🎄
So many people say "spooky season" starts Sept 1st , so if Halloween can have 2 months then Christmas can have 3+ months!
I say the earliest for Christmas music should be the day after Thanksgiving
We made ornaments as well, but when my kids got married and left home, I packed up some of their best ornaments and gave them to them for their own tree. Most young adults don't have money to fully decorate a tree of their own yet, and have loved having those reminders of their childhoods. Our church usually had a children's musical and I would find an ornament pertaining to the play or the character they played. They have carried on this little tradition with their own kids. We also read the Luke 2 story just before opening gifts.
You can play Christmas music in July because it’s the half mark to Christmas. Then you have to wait again until after Thanksgiving. But you also should buy some school supplies and donate them to school in July so the children that don’t have school supplies have them.
What a wonderful tradition for Christmas in July!
Edit: I mean buying school supplies for kids that can’t afford any.
What a great video. Put me in the Christmas spirit. Your children look so cute in all the pictures
I grew up in a very strict/cultlike version of catholicism, and as well as being poor, we only ever got one present from my parents and one unwrapped present from Santa crammed in the stocking unwrapped. I was born in 1972, so I remember one year it was a wind up R2-D2 action figure from Star Wars. I was VERY young when I realized the rich kids at school got tons of presents from santa, and they were all wrapped, and I remember confronting my mom about it. I would not take no for an answer because I sensed the injustice, and we were a VERY social justice minded family, so she fessed up. I couldn't have been more than 7 or 8. After that Santa never came again and I was SO glad that I was right and had figured it out, but VERY angry at my mother for lying to me. I honestly feel very scarred about having been lied to by her and everyone I tell that story laughs at me, but it is not funny to me at all. I took (and continue to take) the truth very seriously and any betrayal of that is like a stab in my heart.
Also, xmas was only every really about Jesus for us... we used to go to midnight mass and had a dinner with my cousins. I remember one year watching all the women cooking and cleaning and watching all the men drunk playing guitars and singing and it all seemed so so so unfair to me. Needless to say I grew up to be a proudly radical feminist SJW and non-binary to boot!!
What is SJW please?
@@mimijulene6307 Social Justice Warrior! It's mostly used as an insult by right wingers, but I embrace it completely. I will fight for social justice to my dying day.
OOHH I just got to the point where Melissa is saying that your kids won't be mad when they find out santa's not real/parents' lied. I actually beg to differ. It was a monumental betrayal to me. One I have never forgotten. I know she was doing the best she could, but she didn't have to lie.
Enjoyed your video about Christmas & made a donation. Merry Christmas! 🎄✨️
Santa aka st nick was a real person. The story of st nick is what I told my daughter when it was time. He was a generous man and gave to others among many other things. This is how the Santa story evolved . We are continuing his good deeds at Christmas time. The holidays Christians celebrate now evolve around pagan holidays back in the day this was done to wipe out the pagan religion.
I love listening to Christmas music all year round 😂❤
Your video is great! I love Melissa's facial expressions "Jesus has no birthday party!" Super Sweet Sam loves the Christmas Spirit. My dad's family was HUGE and my grandma held a big Christmas party for a few days and everything was decked out! (Catholic) But one of my favorite traditions we did for years was at home. My 2 step sisters and I would build a Gingerbread House for Christmas and have fun making them .... interesting. But on New years night we would put fire crackers in the gingerbread houses and blow them up. Whoever's house blew up the biggest and made the biggest mess won bragging rights for the year and didn't have to clean up! It was so much fun!
I love Christmas. We had a lot of hard years where Christmas just barely scraped by. I never lost my hope and love of the season though. I taught my kids that Christmas is more than a man in a red suit. I taught them that Santa is the warm loving spirit of the season. He stands for the love, hope, family, and giving of the whole season. And I know Jesus wasn't born "on Christmas day". I know the date was chosen as a main date for all religions to celebrate his birth. I also realize not everyone celebrates Christmas per say and that is just fine.
Christmas season for me begins with the Macy’s Christmas parade. Once I see the Radio City Rockets perform that begins the Christmas season for me. I start watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. I’m a senior citizen so I prefer the older Christmas artists like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, definitely the “Big Band songs for Christmas.” My entire family always made a big effort at Christmas and my mom and my aunts made the traditional Christmas candies! What a treat that was!!
I love the Christmas season and all the huge family gatherings.
I wish your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
My 13 year old son loves Christmas music, and he even plays them on Alexa when he’s in the shower!! 🎅🏼 🎶 ❤
So happy you are enjoying Christmas 🎄 Sam 😊 It’s really is magical ❤ I love how you both learn from each other. Melissa I love your headband ❤
Christmas music is welcomed the day after Thanksgiving.
I appreciate your perspective through this conversation. Thanks ❤️❤️❤️
Merry Christmas 🎄
I was raised in the denomination men call the Church of Christ. Our only religious holidays were Sunday. We did celebrate secular Christmas and Easter. I decided when I was three that Christmas was Santa’s birthday and that’s why we left him adult eggnog and coconut cake. I taught my kids he is the spirit of love and giving.
Our family tradition was to buy each person an ornament where we’d put their name & year so when each kid moved out they got a batch of holiday ornaments. We also would pick up jams, jellies & honey through the year and share them around with tiny biscuits.
Edit: we sang Christmas carols year round
Omggg another church of Christ person. You just spoke on my whole life!!!
I was also raised in the Church of Christ. We didn’t celebrate Christmas at the church, but we did celebrate it secularly.
Great video and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Merry Christmas ❤
Christmas season for me begins with the Macy’s Christmas parade. Once I see the Radio City Rockets perform that begins the Christmas season for me. I start watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. I’m a senior citizen so I prefer the older Christmas artists like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, definitely the “Big Band songs for Christmas.” My entire family always made a big effort at Christmas and my mom and my aunts made the traditional Christmas candies! What a treat that was!!
I love the Christmas season and all the huge family gatherings.
I love the Weisen's response! Thank you for sharing that!
My mom told me the same about believing in Santa and till she got sick and couldn't shop on her own. Santa came for 40 years.
My father was from Norway Lofoten where it was dark for 3 months so he celebrated light during xmas with the christmas tree. Our tree had to gave 1000 lights 😅 my mom was Dutch and we grew up ib Holland where 5 december Saint Nicolas is traditionally celebrated with presents. Nowadays i celebrate 24 december with presents and 25 with a big meal, 26 resting and watching movies🎅
I love the red Christmas truck. I have it on a t-shirt, a pillow, and earrings. Music starts November 1st, same with decorating.
I absolutely adore that you guys have your kids pick out toys for other kids who are less fortunate. I wonder if you've ever done Operation Christmas Child where you put items in a shoebox to send. I absolutely adored doing those. Especially as it allowed for some creativity since you could only fit whatever could go in a shoebox.
Also, regarding Santa, my family has always kept the belief of Santa alive. As the younger kids got older, we'd help the even younger kids still believe, even if we necessarily didn't. Now, they are at the age where they know that gifts are from other relatives, as well as some from Santa 😉. Helps keep him alive in some shape or form.
❤ love your videos ❤
So interesting how different Christmas differs. Here in the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 5, usually for the children. Christmas Eve is for the faithful. We don't have 1 Christmas day but 2. So that you can celebrate with family and friends(Even if you don't believe). The gingerbread house and the socks tradition has only been on the rise in recent years. Merry Christmas 🎄
Understanding that Santa Claus is based on St Nick makes the explanation easier when the kids are older/ready for the reality. But celebrate St Nick on Dec 6, and Santa comes on Christmas morning!
Thank you. I was about to post “doesn’t anyone teach the history of St. Nicholas that Saint Claus was based off of.”
this was a great video! i love hearing about peoples expierences growing up especially being so different from mine. i grew up in a completely non religious family and having a December birthday, I've gone through a love and hate relationship with Christmas. my constant tradition as an elder millennial is watching A Muppets Christmas Carol and Scroogd haha. i love a good Christmas Carol interpolation.
I grew up atheist, but love christmas (I get really bouncy and happy when the christmas lights go up). We always viewed it as a time to be kind and spread love & have quality time with family since the rest of the year is so busy. Despite my love of Christmas, July is too early for Christmas music to me! November through like the first week or two of January is fair game though!
I don't even remember how old I was when I learned the "truth" about Santa. I have a distinct memory of asking my parents how he got in without us having a chimney, and they said they leave the door unlocked. I believed them. 😅 And then later on, I generally remember playing along for the sake of my younger siblings. However I "found out" must not have been very traumatic. 😅😘
I still write from Santa on my kids' gifts. They are in their 30s
I was furious with my parents because they taught me never to lie and then they lied about Santa.
My mother swears that she never said Santa was real and she never encouraged us to think of it as real. Her stance was that Santa is the spirit of Christmas, but of course I didn’t catch that subtlety and I was just so mad.
I’m glad I wasn’t a parent because I would’ve had to make that a decision for my kids to either be mad at me for lying or to be mad at me for depriving them of the magic. There’s no way to win Santa.
I don’t even like little Santa figurines or anything.
I do like Santa hats, but the ones I made for myself are purple and yellow green. Not Grinch just colors I like. More like elves or pixies.
After Thanksgiving no sooner. I am old-school on that worked at a grocery store with nonstop Christmas music .
😮