Every year in November I begin to think about letters from Santa.  We have 4 beautiful grandsons and I began sending secret letters from Santa when the now 6 year old was celebrating his first Christmas.   They start simple enough, welcoming the baby to the family, explaining who Santa is and why it is that he comes into their lives for that very first Christmas celebration.

As the boys grow, the letters grow.  They grow in content, style, information and fun for me.  I look back over the last year to the events that have transpired in each boy's life.  This year our oldest grandson is all about Bakugans.  It took me some investigation before I realized what they were and I can now see why he has fun with them.  The next grandson loves hot chocolate with marshmallows...winter, summer, spring or fall.  If it’s hot chocolate it must have marshmallows or it is just not the same and it does not matter if it is 93 degrees outside either. 

Going on to the next grandson, what can I say?  He has blonde hair, blue eyes and thinks he owns his Grandpa.  If his brothers even try to squeeze in between them this little one tries to make it known, in no uncertain terms that they are not welcome.  And then there is our newest grandson.  I now know what a clone of someone would look like.  He is the exact copy of our son-in-law.  He has dark hair, dark eyes and a smile that goes on for a mile. 

All these boys are a gift to us not only at Christmas but throughout the entire year.  They laugh, argue and they spill things on the rug sometimes.  They also kiss us, hug us, and tell us they love us.  That is what makes it an absolute necessity for me to write secret Santa letters.  I can review the important moments in their lives with these letters.  I can write about their Momma and Dada or their favorite Aunt and Uncle who live out of town.  I can write what they can only imagine as a child, that Santa is watching and is so looking forward to coming to see them.  I can talk about Santa's suit that had to be altered because of eating too many cookies and at the same time ask for more cookies because their house has the best cookies in the entire world, no matter how far Santa travels.

I see the boys talk about these letters as though they are real.  They get excited when Santa acknowledges receiving the letters they wrote after Thanksgiving dinner.  Their eyes grow wide as they notice Santa was paying attention to what they were asking for in the letter.  That is a big deal!!

I can, in this way, make an indelible mark on their lives.  A mark that maybe someday will be looked back on after having families of their own, and begin a tradition with them too.    

Could I ask for more?  I guess I could.  Do I want or need more?  No.  In no uncertain terms,  I need nothing beyond the love I have from the family I hold so dear.  God has blessed me with a wonderful husband of 35 years, two daughters that I adore and two sons-in-law that love their wives very deeply, and these four very special 
grandsons.  Christmas is a time for sharing and caring and being with family.  I get that every day.  I am blessed.  Thank you, God!

Merry Christmas!!