Christmas for My Son

My three year old seems to be very confused about Christmas.  Is it a day?  A time?  A thing?  To be accurate, he doesn't actually think he's confused.  I'm the one who thinks he's confused.

Last year, a neighbor bequeathed a large battery-operated train to us as they no longer had need of it.  My son was overjoyed.  I have dozens of pictures of him sitting in the middle of the tracks, on his belly, his grin from ear to ear, intently watching the train go around and around.  We called it the Christmas Train, as it spent most of its time circling the Christmas Tree.  We also called it the Christmas train because we were only going to get it out once a year--around Christmas.

So, at my son heard talk of Christmas coming, even in the beginning of November, he pleaded for us to get out the Christmas train.  Finally, last Saturday, we purchased a tree and got out the train. He's played with it every day.

I mention this story because I think it's paved the way for my son's confusion about Christmas.  If I were to use an example of another adjective (other than Christmas), I could say that I am wearing a blue shirt. My shirt is blue.  So, if we were to replace the adjective of color to the adjective of Christmas, my shirt would be Christmas.  To my son, the train is Christmas.

My mother recently sent a box full of present for the kids; I have placed them all under the tree.  This morning, I said something to my son about the presents under the tree.  "What presents?" he exclaimed.  "Those aren't presents, those are Christmas!"  And as for opening those presents, despite anything  I say to the contrary, he believes he will get to open them "when Christmas is over."  I am starting to see it the way he does.... that these trappings are Christmas.  And, as for the presents, when we are done with the trappings as they are, then we may do something else with them (in this instance, open them).

To be honest, I'm not sure he's all that wrong.  I mean, as far as the non-spiritual aspects of Christmas, it is definitely the trappings that I think of when I think of the season--trees, red and green decorations, presents, cookies and parties.  Without them, would it be Christmas?  (Again, I am referencing "Christmas" as a season--I'm not talking here about "Christmas" as a remembrance of our Savior's birth.)

Well, it's something to think about.  :)