Today is Heather's day to share a project with you - you're gonna love it! Remember to leave a comment on each Designer's blog during the Blog hop to be eligible for one the three grand prizes!
Today as you hop around our Cross Country Christmas blog hop, we'll all share stories about Santa.
Post pictures of your blog hop projects on our Cross Country Christmas flickr account. Go here to upload your photos and see the photo gallery.
In 1986 Derek received a Santa Bear from his Grammy for his first Christmas. Three years later when Megan was born, Grammy got her a "girly" bear with a red mohair sweater. Every year we get the bears out just during December and then put them away when we take the tree down. I can't believe how many of these Santa Bears I've seen in antique shops. I don't mind finding my toys there, but my kids' toys?? I must be getting old!
When I was little, one Christmas morning my older sister pointed out that Santa and my mom had the exact same handwriting. One year, she found a price tag under the department store Santa's beard while she was sitting on his lap . . . and my mom had to explain that he was just Santa's helper.
When Derek figured it out, the first thing he did was tell Megan the news. The next day she told a few of the kids in her class. The teacher took her out in the hall and asked her not to tell anyone else, because believing in Santa was a pretty big deal to some kids and they would find out when they were ready.
Not too long after Derek found out about Santa, he asked "Does that mean the Easter Bunny isn't real either?"
I do all I can to promote Christmas magic - that's what childhood is all about at Christmas time.
Thanks for doing the blog hop - I'm loving this so much!
Posted by: TheaM | November 13, 2009 at 06:28 AM
ahhhhhhhhhhh when the 2 + 2 = 4 lightbulb comes on! I remember when my older sibs told me there was no Santa. I was sooooooo mad at them for not believing and just would not go along with them. To this day I still believe!
Posted by: margi | November 13, 2009 at 06:31 AM
Vicious rumor that Santa and the Easter Bunny are not real - Big Sigh! They are very real - just ask me, I know. :-)
Posted by: Darlene | November 13, 2009 at 06:38 AM
My kids have lots of Christmas teddy bears, too!
Posted by: Busy Little Quilter | November 13, 2009 at 06:41 AM
I am admitting to being a virgin blogger- this is my first time. I am overwhelmed with the idea of visiting everyone's blogs. Is this how this really works? Speaking of work I wonder if I'll get there on time?
We have a singing Mouse that my Sarah brings out every year and annoys her twin with. It was a freebie from Fields many years ago. I know that mouse has turned into a family tradition. I just hope it holds out until Sarah has kids of her own. jmc
Posted by: Joan | November 13, 2009 at 06:52 AM
Another big Santa believer here too! I hated when my kids stopped believing. To be honest I think they did too. Just play Santa to someone else when your children stop believing and all the magic comes back.
Posted by: Wendy | November 13, 2009 at 07:18 AM
If I was the only person on earth ;-) I would celebrate Christmas all year long. I find it a magical time of the year and the only thing I regret is a white Christmas (snow has been very rare during Xmas for the last 20 years).
As for my boys, well the biggest (Renaud, almost 9) discovered last year the real story about Xmas but kept it for himself, giving his little brother (Hugues, almost 6) the chance to believe in the Big Man with a white beard ! ;-)
Posted by: Rachel D. | November 13, 2009 at 07:20 AM
WHAT? No Easter bunny? Are you kidding?
Posted by: Jenny | November 13, 2009 at 07:41 AM
Thank you for sharing the story!
Posted by: Jayne Honnold | November 13, 2009 at 08:14 AM
Thanks for sharing your story! Our oldest was very careful not to spoil Santa for her sister. We still love Santa!
Posted by: Vicki | November 13, 2009 at 08:22 AM
Cute story! Thanks.
Posted by: Darlis | November 13, 2009 at 08:49 AM
I was having a chocolate craving yesterday and tried your Molten Chocolate cake. Yummy!
I have been enjoying everyone's Christmas stories. Makes me wish I wasn't so far away from family at the holidays.
Posted by: Liz Dyer | November 13, 2009 at 09:00 AM
Santa (my Mom) left me a note one year to clean my room before I could play with my toys. I always thought the handwriting looked familiar; it was written on the piece of cardboard from a package of pantyhose. Why would Santa have that?? It was years later beore I realized that it was my Mom's handwriting. My room still needs to be cleaned!
Posted by: YTS Mom | November 13, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Trying to keep the kids' believing longer is harder and harder these days.
We were based in Cairo, Egypt in the early 90's. It was VERY easy to keep our son "believing" 2nd through 4th grade there - because there were NO commercials on TV for the latest and greatest toys and you never knew what NEW THINGS came out that you THOUGHT you wanted or needed. Infact, our son thought "Hoss" from the TV show, Bonanza, was in the "here and now"....LOL
To this day, we tease him about Hoss - and he's 24 now.
Posted by: Cindy | November 13, 2009 at 09:37 AM
The Easter Bunny isn't real????????? What??
I will be making your Mug Cake today--I guess the diet starts tomorrow...thanks for the wonderful blog Hop...
Posted by: Linda | November 13, 2009 at 09:56 AM
I've printed out the tags for the Molten Chocolate Cake and jotted down the instructions. They sound like a fun and easy gift to make. We'll see how many I actually get done.
Posted by: Marg McCulloch | November 13, 2009 at 10:02 AM
I am sooo looking forward to this Christmas! My first grandchild's first. He won't remember, but the pictures will be wonderful, and maybe he'll get a Christmas bear to commemorate.
Thanks for the stories. Now I want to read the Polar Express with my grown kids!
Posted by: WendyP | November 13, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Wow! Those bears are in great condition! We always told my daughter that Santa was not real, and that it was fun to pretend. Well, she told her friend Santa was not real, and when her friend protested, DD replied, "Well, MY parents wouldn't LIE to ME!" Oh, I had some quick thinking to do, told the friend that it was something she needed to talk with her parents about.
Posted by: Julie in WA | November 13, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Mi hijo mayor se dio cuenta enseguida pero siempre se cuidaba de no arruinar sorpresas de sus hermanos menores, Así CADA UNO DE ELLOS. Gracias por la historia.
Posted by: marta | November 13, 2009 at 11:58 AM
I still believe........it's the magic of Christmas and a reason for the season. Think of what we would miss if we did not have this celebration!
Posted by: Sharon | November 13, 2009 at 01:11 PM
Love the gift idea. You could do it for almost any event. Great idea. K.
Posted by: Kennette Blotzer | November 13, 2009 at 01:31 PM
Oh wow, does this all sound so familiar. I remember when my daughter told her grandmother that Santa was not real! Oh boy, oh boy was that a bomb. Grandma wanted to know who told her that..... anyway, it's sort of funny now, but it sure was walking on ice for a few days.
Posted by: Jocelyn | November 13, 2009 at 02:52 PM
When I was just 4 years old, I recieved that same exact Santa bear your son recieved. I still have that Teddy bear. I can't believe you are seeing him in Antique stores, now that makes me feel old...
Posted by: Katie :) | November 13, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Say it aint' soooooooooooo!!!!
- my sister and I figured out pretty much at the same time!! Rats - but we love the magic and seeing the the expressions on the little ones faces now!!
Posted by: lovetostitch | November 13, 2009 at 04:14 PM
LMAO @ the easter bunny!, I'm having fun reading your blogs, thank you very much for sharing!
Posted by: arlette | November 13, 2009 at 07:48 PM
Hey I hate to disagree but SANTA IS REAL! At least in my heart. I think I took it worse than my girls when they all found out.
Posted by: Sue Goodin | November 13, 2009 at 08:01 PM