If there’s one thing I should have remembered from Christmases past, it’s that Santa is a patient, engaged listener. And that’s not aligned with being a hyper-efficient working parent ping-ponging through the holidays.
Santa’s job is to listen to the kid on his knee and hear that child’s story. He’s got a lot to remember so rushing isn’t going to help what he’s doing. He’s a study in focus and equanimity.
I, on the other hand, pride myself on being a master of efficiency. It works well for me pretty much throughout the year, with occasional hiccups around back to school, end of school and right now.
I’d go so far as to say my varsity-level calendar skills – the duck and dive, the stack and shift – is something I’m pretty proud to share with other Lead Dads, Working Moms and caregivers. It works really well.
Until it doesn’t.
And that’s what happened when this Scrooge came up against Santa.
We’re a family of five. But there are only three of us in this photo with Santa. (Without sounding Grinch-like, Santa took his sweet ole time arriving at the breakfast in his honor!)
Why am I and my oldest daughter not in this Santa photo?
I tried to stack a make-up practice for her at the end of breakfast with Santa. I shifted some things around and thought for sure we’d be done with Santa in 75 minutes max and I could get her where she needed to go.
But no, Santa was patiently listening to every single kid recite his or her list, with that unflaggingly cherubic smile on his face.
With a dozen families in front of us, and the clock ticking, I knew we weren’t going to make it. So I bailed.
What’s the lesson I learned? One we all already know: the holidays move at their own pace, and trying to speed that up is a losing proposition.
The calendar jinga of school days and work days and weekend events that require parents to head to different places at the same time with different kids – it just doesn’t work during the holidays.
I’m glad it doesn’t – even when that works against me.
But like many working parents, I sometimes need a reminder that the transition from work parent to holiday parent can be bumpy.
So as we head into the end of the year, with kids getting out of school soon, here’s what I’m going to remember to do:
🎄 No double booking.
🎄 Give myself extra time between commitments.
🎄 No last-minute scheduling, if at all possible.
🎄 Look to January for what’s not essential now.
🎄 Try to think slower.
🎄 Be present.
🎄 Enjoy my kids’ wonder, particularly the one who still believes.
🎄 Don’t be Scrooge.
Happy holidays from The Company of Dads!
(Also, Santa, if you’re reading this, I really have been very good this year…. 🎅 )
