CREATING THE CHRISTMAS KRAKEN

I grew up in a family that really got into Christmas. I mean REALLY. So one of the first things I did when Hubby and I got married was to inform him that my stocking had better be full come Christmas morning. He was a bit surprised, so I'm guessing his family had given up on stockings once the kids figured out the whole Santa thing, and didn't believe it was "until death do we part", the way my family did. I have to say, though, he did a pretty good job of it. Especially when you consider that we were living in the jungles of Java, and there weren't just a whole lot of places to shop! But he didn't just bow to my demands, he took that ball and ran with it. By the time our kids came along, he was the Master of all Stocking Stuffers --  a veritable Guru of Goodies! He starts picking up little trinkets while on summer vacation, and by the time Christmas rolls around, he has enough stuff to fill all three stockings, as well as the chairs they are propped up in, or the floor space surrounding them!

Last year, when it became obvious that our kids were both getting pretty serious about their hunnies, I warned Hubby that we needed to begin scaling back on what we give them for Christmas -- not only on the number of gifts, but also on what we put in their stockings. I told him "They each have their own Santa now -- one who doesn't have near as much $$ as you do -- and it wouldn't be fair to totally eclipse their efforts, now would it?" He agreed with me. In theory. Putting it into practice, well, that's a whole 'nuther ball o' wax.

Now the kids are both engaged to be married, and it's more important than ever for us to ease up on Santa's reins -- to let them begin to establish their own traditions. I guess I should have checked on him sooner, for last night I discovered he has already filled a huge shopping bag for each of them with "little goodies," in addition to their main gifts. When I reminded him about last year's agreement to scale back, it was as if I had thrust my hand into his chest, and tried to wrench his heart out. He went silently to bed.

Now I know how Dr. Frankenstein must have felt.