One of the very best things about having children, to me, is getting to watch them experience the holidays. At over a year and a half old, my boys are still far too young to truly understand Christmas, Santa Claus, and the fact that the holiday is the reason why they just received a large amount of toys.And yet, they are old enough now to experience much of what makes the season so magical. They stared in awe at the Christmas tree (before attempting to pull ornaments off it) and at the lights that hang off the house. They looked forward to the tiny piece of chocolate they got every morning from their advent calendars. They enjoyed getting to see a little bit more television than normal, as we watched “Elf,” the seemingly 100 versions of “A Christmas Carol,” and various Mickey Mouse-related holiday specials with them.They’re also starting to work on their words. “Yeah,” animal sounds, and vehicle noises are their current specialty. Henry is a bit further along than Oliver and can identify colors. But, as we approached Christmas, both of them learned what Santa Claus says: “Ho Ho!” Just the two “ho’s” as they both said, never a third. Adorable.I cannot wait until next year when they will, hopefully, be even more excited for my favorite time of the year. Because if there’s one thing I learned over the past month, it’s that what makes this season especially wonderful is seeing the magic of the holidays through their fresh eyes. It’s truly a gift.I hope everyone is having a happy, healthy, and safe end to 2021. As we approach the New Year, there is much to look forward to in 2022. For me, I hope things become safe enough to do more traveling with my family, so I can watch my kids continue to take in all that the world has to offer. There’s almost nothing better than that.
