Renee Chou: Tapping into our kids' excitement and finding the magic of Christmas

“I can’t wait until it’s Christmas!”

That’s the most common refrain coming from my five-year-old daughter since Halloween! By mid-November, Elsa had already written her (rather extensive) Christmas wish list. Right before Thanksgiving, she crafted her letter to Santa:

Allow me to translate her adorable spelling: “Dear Santa: I’m sorry if I did anything naughty. Love, Elsa.” I had to laugh! We’ll see if a sincere apology scores points with the man in red.

On a separate sheet, she detailed what she would like for Christmas-- in pictures!

I think most of the items have to do with Barbie — including a Barbie Dreamhouse, airplane, camper, car, mobile clinic, and — certainly no girl should be without the Barbie cake decorating playset! She put the letters in an envelope, stuck a stamp on it and addressed it to the North Pole, and wanted to get it out in the mail pronto so that Santa could get working on her wishes!

Elsa firmly believes in Santa and often wonders what he’s doing at any given moment. “Does he sleep? What does he like to eat? Will he be able to get all the toys ready?”

The potential of what he might deliver on Christmas provides just the right incentive and motivation to get to bed on time (somewhat); brush her teeth; and generally do what her mommy and daddy tell her. She was impressed and a bit starstruck when she saw Santa at the WRAL Kids’ Holiday Party. “How did WRAL get Santa to come to the party?” she asked me with wonder. “We have connections,” I replied.

It’s incredibly fun to see her so engaged with all things Christmas. She was eager to help decorate the tree as well as her smaller tree in her room. She made sure the cookies we baked to send to family and friends were well covered in sprinkles. She helped pick out new clothes and toys for “angels” we adopted through the Salvation Army who are around her age.

We’ve also taken in a lot of holiday cheer with Raleigh Little Theatre’s “Cinderella,” “Disney on Ice," Pullen Park’s “Holiday Express” and “The Nutcracker.” At this age, the performances more than hold her attention — they captivate her. I love seeing her eyes light up and her hands clap in delight.

For someone who can hardly wait for Christmas, thank goodness for Advent calendars!

Elsa’s extremely conscientious about the countdown to Christmas. We have two Advent calendars. One was made by my husband’s aunt when he was a boy. It features a felt tree and 25 small, felt ornaments that you stick onto the tree once a day until Christmas. The other Advent calendar was a gift from a friend that includes a piece of chocolate in various shapes behind every numbered “door.” Nothing like a piece of chocolate every day to get you excited about December!

But perhaps the tradition that excites my daughter most this Christmas is finding her Elf on the Shelf every morning. Elsa named her Elsie. Her first question when she wakes up: “Where’s Elsie?” And she immediately searches all over the house to find where Elsie ended up after her nightly trip to the North Pole. I’ve even heard her talk to Elsie — telling the quiet elf what she would like Santa to know about her heart’s desires and how she can’t wait for Dec. 25.

She might not be able to, but I can … because I want this belief, this wonder in the magic of Christmas to last as long as possible. Because someday, she’s going to know about Santa … and how Elsie really gets from one part of the house to another. Someday, it won’t be a Barbie car on her wish list … but an actual car. This most wonderful time of the year feels magical because our kids’ excitement taps into that inner child in all of us, when we once believed that a jolly old man in a red suit makes Christmas wishes come true.

To experience her excitement for Christmas is a joy… and fulfills *my* Christmas wish. Another Christmas will come and go. And then ... I can’t wait until next December, to feel the magic again.

Renee Chou, WRAL-TV morning anchor, is the mother of one. You can find her monthly on Go Ask Mom and all of the time on her Facebook page.