Writer's Block: Do You Believe?
Dec. 20th, 2007 09:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badseed1980[Error: unknown template qotd]
Oh, this is a good story. I think I was about eight or nine years old. My sister, a year younger, had lost a tooth that day, and put it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. When I was a kid, I was afflicted with insomnia. I would often lie awake at night after being put to bed, and if two hours went by and I couldn't fall asleep, I'd go downstairs to complain to my parents. That's really what it was--complaining--since there wasn't really anything they could do to help. Anyway, this night, I started going down the stairs. As I was coming down, I heard my mother's voice say, "Ok, they're asleep by now. Time to go be the Tooth Fairy!" I was shocked. I tiptoed back upstairs as quickly and quietly as I could, and jumped back into bed, pretending to be asleep before my parents got there. I opened my eyes just a crack to watch them sneak into our bedroom and over to my sister's pillow. All the time I was thinking, "Ohmygodohmygod, the Tooth Fairy is really my PARENTS!"
The next morning, before my parents were up, I told my sister everything that had happened. She was surprised too, and a bit put out. We discussed what the larger ramifications of this might be, and when my parents came in to say good morning, we confronted them. "We know you and Papa are the Tooth Fairy!" we said. I told my mom what I'd seen and heard, and she started crying. We demanded to know if they were also the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. My mom was wailing like anything, but she admitted to it all. My sister and I were somewhat offended at the idea that our parents lied to us, but my father explained how it wasn't lying and was more like telling us a story, and we were ok with that. We were a little embarrassed for my over-reacting mom, but she eventually calmed down too, and even said she was kind of relieved that she didn't have to think of a way to tell us the truth.
So ever after that, we knew. But to this day, my parents will still occasionally write, "To Laura from Santa" on Christmas gift tags. :)
Oh, this is a good story. I think I was about eight or nine years old. My sister, a year younger, had lost a tooth that day, and put it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. When I was a kid, I was afflicted with insomnia. I would often lie awake at night after being put to bed, and if two hours went by and I couldn't fall asleep, I'd go downstairs to complain to my parents. That's really what it was--complaining--since there wasn't really anything they could do to help. Anyway, this night, I started going down the stairs. As I was coming down, I heard my mother's voice say, "Ok, they're asleep by now. Time to go be the Tooth Fairy!" I was shocked. I tiptoed back upstairs as quickly and quietly as I could, and jumped back into bed, pretending to be asleep before my parents got there. I opened my eyes just a crack to watch them sneak into our bedroom and over to my sister's pillow. All the time I was thinking, "Ohmygodohmygod, the Tooth Fairy is really my PARENTS!"
The next morning, before my parents were up, I told my sister everything that had happened. She was surprised too, and a bit put out. We discussed what the larger ramifications of this might be, and when my parents came in to say good morning, we confronted them. "We know you and Papa are the Tooth Fairy!" we said. I told my mom what I'd seen and heard, and she started crying. We demanded to know if they were also the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. My mom was wailing like anything, but she admitted to it all. My sister and I were somewhat offended at the idea that our parents lied to us, but my father explained how it wasn't lying and was more like telling us a story, and we were ok with that. We were a little embarrassed for my over-reacting mom, but she eventually calmed down too, and even said she was kind of relieved that she didn't have to think of a way to tell us the truth.
So ever after that, we knew. But to this day, my parents will still occasionally write, "To Laura from Santa" on Christmas gift tags. :)
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Date: 2007-12-20 05:26 pm (UTC)I can't remember when I stopped believing in Santa. I'm not sure I have, although I grew up pretty poor, and rarely got things high on my wish list for Christmas. (I also learned not to wish for anything too expensive.) I occasionally got gifts addressed to "8 y/o girl" (church donations) and once an I.O.U.--LOL. (I'm not embittered, I find it a little sad, and a lot humorous.)
I tell all my students that don't believe in Santa that, to save time, he sometimes gives the money to parents to buy stuff for their kids, and so it might seem that the parents are really Santa, but hey, he's old, and needs all the help he can get.
I see "Santa" as Yuletide Spirit, and I sincerely hope that never dies.
My friend Adam is sort of a humbug. I love him, and he's funny and brilliant, but he poo-poos anything "imaginary" and I find that a little sad. He has a one-year old, and he is an amazing dad, but it would be hard to grow up with a stark realist for a parent. Where's the fun in that? LOL.