Downs With Ups

Seasons greetings to you dear reader.  At this time of year, rather than continuing on about the very sober subject of learning, (I’ve lots to tell you about our visit to the special development school), I thought I’d share with you Poppet’s experience leading up to Christmas.  Later, I’ll write about our Christmas Day and how Poppet enjoyed this, the highlight of her year, (well, perhaps after her birthday).

Christmas is a very exciting time for Poppet.  She is an absolute believer in Santa and embraces the spirit of Christmas with a sincere enthusiasm.  She loves writing Christmas cards to her school peers and teachers and we always include a little gift for each child.  She proudly hands them out, excitedly wishing them a ‘very happy Christmas’.

She seems to enjoy giving presents rather than receiving them and has a wonderful time at school, delivering brightly coloured gifts to her various teachers or to her other teachers, out of school.  She expects the recipient to be as excited as she is and watches their face carefully as they unwrap the gift, waiting for the moment when the paper has been removed to reveal the surprise within; this is her moment of joy.

Poppet has also gradually come to understand that there are people who are less fortunate than she is.  When at one of the large department stores, we usually buy a gift to leave underneath the store’s Christmas tree.  This gift will be given to some child in need.  It’s these experiences and ones, such as the one I wrote about the man without the house, that help her to form a perspective about the world around her, and her position within it.  At her age now of 12, she carefully chooses a gift for us to leave under the tree, expecting it to bring some happiness to another child.

I’ve never been quite able to bring myself to lie to her about Santa.  I’ve always let her tell me about him and all that he does.  Instead of writing a letter to Santa, I usually ask her what she would like as gifts for Christmas.  Her wishes are very simple.  This year she wanted a torch, some chocolates and candy canes, and some books.

There is a part of me deep down, that wishes just once, she would ask for the latest, greatest gadget, like every other child in the Western world.  She just doesn’t show any interest in these things and most of the latest and greatest gadgets would be too complicated for her to use anyway.

We were advised some time ago, that we need to keep Poppet’s interests and activities, ‘age appropriate’, so I often find myself wandering around shops hoping to spy some other children of a similar age.  My clandestine behaviour helps me gain a sense of what interests them, which helps me to buy presents for her, (there is only so much chocolate Santa can carry, after all).

To help her with a visual representation leading up to Christmas, we use an advent calendar.  It hangs on the kitchen wall and each morning she would go to it and work out the date.  We would count the sleeps on our fingers until the ‘big day’, with Poppet taking the small chocolate surprise to put in her lunch box.

Not one to stand on tradition, Poppet frequently suggested that we cut to the chase and ‘have Christmas now’.  Her excitement almost reached fever pitch though when her school had its ‘Carols by Torchlight’.  This event was held in the evening, a few days before the end of the school term.  Families and friends were invited, with most arriving with drinks and snacks to enjoy whilst watching the children perform.  All the children were dressed in Christmas-themed clothes, which certainly added to the festivity.

Each grade sang a number of songs and incorporated simple actions to their acts.  Poppet is a member of the school’s bush band and so, performed five songs overall, including one of my favourites, ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’.  I could see Poppet’s chest rise as she solemnly inhaled a deep breath, ready for the “Glor-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-or-oria, Hosanna in Excelsis.”

Poppet loves to sing but often has trouble keeping up with the tempo of songs.  The highlight of the evening I thought, was a slower song that she was able to manage.  The 60 or so grade five and six student’s rendition of ‘Happy Christmas (War is Over)’, by John Lennon, was a sobering song and received tremendous applause by everyone in the audience.  I think each of us grown ups were counting our blessings after listening to that song.

We spent many late evenings with friends before Christmas, enjoying this special time and by Christmas Eve, Poppet was exhausted.  There were no objections or requests to stay up later, when I asked her to go to bed and she fell asleep almost immediately.  I can remember as a child, the sheer excitement of knowing that when you wake up the next day, it will be Christmas, with all the gifts and treats and fun to enjoy.  Poppet fell asleep with similar thoughts in her head, I’m sure.  After all, she’d been waiting 365 sleeps until this day.