The Day Santa was Outed

I Believe!  I Believe! 

Oh, sorry.  Just trying to convince myself that I didn't almost screw Christmas for my 4 year old. I figure if I chant that long and loud enough it will all have been just a bad dream. 

Now, for the story........

It was the Sunday before Christmas, and the wind was howling outside the house as Ma in her kerchief wrapped presents by candle light......err......not really, but it made for a good beginning.  Anyway, I was in the basement of my parent's house where the gifts are hidden.  I heard footsteps on the stairs and assumed it was one of the adults as I was sure the kids were safely tucked away. 

"Mommy!  Where did that HORSE come from!" Chachi screamed as she reached the bottom landing. 

Shock.  That's all I can say.  Complete and utter shock. 

I quickly snapped her up and ran up the stairs. 

"What horse?  I didn't see a horse down there."  I said when I could finally catch my breathe.  Good save I thought.

"I saw a horse!"

I looked to my Mom.  Help please I pleaded with my eyes. 

"There isn't a horse down there, Chachi.  Maybe a broken reindeer but no horse." my Mom told her.

"Gigi.  I SAW a HORSE!"

And THAT is when the planned was devised.  Gigi took Chachi away and I returned to the offending basement to figure out how I was going to hide a horse that is probably the size of a small pony.  I threw it in a closet, smashing its head so the door would shut.  I then proceeding to pull out the large stuffed reindeer and placed it in the 'horse spot'. 

"Let's go see if there is a horse down there!" my Mom warned as they began down the stairs.

"Oh.  Oh.  It IS a reindeer!" she said as she patted its neck, "I REALLY thought that was a horse."
"Gigi.  I REALLY thought that reindeer was a horse!" she said once again. 

After finishing up we headed home upon which I informed Dave of the 'situation'.

"Jesus, Val!  Now the kid thinks she is going crazy!"

Problem averted. 

Until, yesterday.

Where Chachi informed the nurse at the doctor's office that she was receiving a REINDEER for Christmas.  She SAW IT IN GIGI'S BASEMENT!  

Crap. 

Comments

[lora]

My son found his giant box of geotrax a few weeks before Christmas. I told him that Santa is getting old and his bag is so heavy that he asked if we could hold the toys for kids in our neighborhood and he would pick them up when he dropped of Jake's gifts.

Gah. I'm such a liar! But it worked. Christmas was saved.

[Katia / Crazy for trying]

"Problem averted!" I'm going to laugh about that all day. :)