Xmas Update

We had a bit of a clash between the tooth fairy and Santa on Christmas Eve.

Master Sixes teeth are dropping out so quick I feel like my ‘baby’ is falling to bits. Unfortunately, the top teeth have all come out in a row and it’s not looking pretty. After inspecting his new smile in the bathroom mirror he emerged, heaved a great sigh and announced: “I look horrible,” before adding: “I hope my friends don’t notice.”

I had my work cut out that night. It’s hard enough to remember tooth fairy duties at the best of times so, because I needed my wits about me, I didn’t partake in any pre-Christmas drinking.

The abstinence paid off and it all went smoothly. I went to bed leaving the men to ‘dispose’ of the Santa snacks and reply to the note.

At 2am Master Six got up to go to the toilet and discovered both the tooth fairy and Santa had been and felt the need to come and share this joyous news with me. Needless to say he probably didn’t get the enthused response he anticipated. Likewise at 5.45am when Miss Four awoke to find her and her brother’s Santa sacks full.

“Jai,” I heard her whisper across the room. “Jai!,” the call became more insistent as she tried to rouse her brother. “You’ve got presents!”

“I got jandals,” I heard him exclaim sometime later and with that I shot out of bed. Two heads flung back down on their pillows just as fast, as I entered the room. We have a rule of no peeking until everyone’s assembled together.

I went back to bed feeling a bit bad about growling them first thing instead of wishing them a merry Christmas. But not long after, once their brother had awoken, all the presents were open in a flurry, the kids had taken off to play with their new toys and I was left amidst a sea of strewn wrapping paraphernalia.

Which was why the oven timer method worked so well this year. Actually we used the chiming clock and every hour it chimed, they opened a present, knowing exactly who it was from and thanking the person. This dragged the day out nicely, considering the weather was so terrible we couldn’t go out and play. Before we knew it, it was 8pm and we still had to play Secret Santa.

One of the many heart-warming moments of the day was opening Master Sixes homemade present and discovering a $20 note from his piggy bank with a note saying “I love you.” Turns out he’d done the same for his dad. It was very sweet but, I’m sure he doesn’t have any concept of money’s worth and the $40 was quietly deposited back into his money box later.

“I was sure I’d get squirted when I went to the toilet,” said my brother’s partner to me towards the end of the day, referring to the ongoing practical joke I play every year that I assumed everyone was getting sick of. She almost sounded disappointed.

I didn’t need further encouragement. Off I happily went to set it up. As the toilet seat is one of those clear acrylic nautical themed varieties, I was sure no one would fall for it but, alas, my tired and heavily-pregnant sister-in-law made a stop off before bed.

Luckily she has a sense of humour: She emerged grinning sheepishly and, fortunately, still intact.