On the tenth day of Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas, I still don't know all the things my true love has given to me. Yes, there are still gifts under our tree, even for the kids. I know, people will think we have aliens for children, but it really is possible to stretch the gift-giving out for twelve days, and some of the enjoyment that goes with the gifts as well. If anything, as the new year begins and routines resume, the hardest thing is finding the time to all sit down together to open them.

Actually, probably the biggest argument against this prolonging of gift exchange is that there are aunts and uncles and grandparents who start to wonder where they rank in the order of things. It's not a speed dial hierarchy; we really don't order the gifts in any particular way except to make sure that the first gifts after the stockings are some things that can be played with on Christmas Day. But still, I get the sense that some relatives think we're either handcuffing the children to prevent them from opening more, or just plain disappointed we didn't dive into their boxes first.

Today we made sure the wise men were "on the way" to the creche in time to arrive there by Epiphany. Somehow we got into a discussion at breakfast about the textual accuracy of "three kings," which prompted my daughter to go through various permutations on how more than three magi could have offered three gifts. "Well, two magi could have brought one gift each, and and two more could have just brought one together, OR six magi could have . ."(and so on ).

It's really a shame that the Passion story doesn't invite the same playfulness that the Nativity does.

Comments

[Michelle Hargrave]

Pam, are you suggesting a little figurine set for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter morning?

[Karen G]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only parent who does this! Our son opened his last gift on the 12th Night, and I believe he relished it much more than he would have, had he opened all of them at once. I find this places more of an emphasis on the giver, and allows us to appreciate each one's generosity, without ranking.