As Christmas comes closer, I thought it would be a good idea to read a Christmas book to the kids every night. This year, I chose The Autobiography of Santa Claus. It's Santa's Story, as told to Jeff Guinn. There are 24 chapters, one for each night in December until Christmas Eve. Santa tells the story of his life, from his childhood as an orphan to the Santa we know today. The kids are absolutely loving this book. I read it several years ago and I decided that this was the year to share it with them. Eli is 8 and is starting to question Santa. This book has bought me at least one more year of belief. I know that everyone has to grow up and learn the truth, but I'm not ready for that innocence and pure belief to be gone yet. The few years we have to give our children the precious gift of belief in magic end too soon. The crossing over to unbelief is, to me, a sign that we don't have little ones anymore. The great thing about this book is all the history they learn without realizing they're learning. The story spans centuries, and as we travel with Nicholas, (as he was known for a while) we learn about the customs and major events of each time period. Reading this has become Eli and Ella's favorite part of the day. In the years to come, when they can't hear the Christmas bell anymore, I'll remember this Christmas and the 24 nights I spent reaffirming their belief in the magic of Santa.
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