Mormon Times Christmas article about Luke's interpretation of Christmas

I have been in talking with Deseret News and the company Deseret Connect which is over Deseret News and they have accepted me as a contributor for writing freelance columns, articles, and that type of thing. I wrote this article about Luke and Christmas this year and they picked it up and published it on Christmas Day on mormontimes.com. Luke is famous! :) 

A child's interpretation of Christmas

Author: Lindsay Ferguson
Source: For Mormon Times
25 December 2010 7:00am

From recent conversations with our 2-year-old, I'm starting to find this business of filling him in on all our Christmas customs is a little tricky.

Try explaining about a big guy in a red suit who rides in a sleigh pulled by reindeer and then slides down the chimney to bring toys to children, while also explaining the story of the first Christmas and how we celebrate baby Jesus’ birth.

It's a lot for me to keep straight, let alone my son.

A week or so ago I was telling him about how baby Jesus was born in a stable and that there were animals around him like cows, sheep, pigs (now that I think about it, I may have misinformed him on the pigs) and other animals. Soon after, however, we were back on the subject of Santa and how he'll bring presents.

The next day, I asked our son what he wanted for Christmas, to which he replied, "I want baby Jesus to bring me Piglet from his stable." ​I tried to remind him that Santa is the one who brings us toys at Christmas not baby Jesus.

His response was, "No, no, Mommy, baby Jesus will bring me a present. He will bring me Piglet from his stable." ​His eyes were big and wide, and he had the most sincere look on his face. I wasn't quite sure how to handle this one. After all, I did say there were pigs at the stable, and now I realized that to him a pig means Piglet. Of course it does.

Again, I tried telling him I was sure Santa would bring him Piglet, but he would have none of it. I decided to play along. What can it hurt?

Afterward, however, I kept thinking about what he must have been imagining when we talked about the Nativity story and the manger scene with Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men and Piglet, all staring down in wonder at the baby Jesus. ​That's not quite right, I thought. ​​I made a quick trip to the bookstore and picked up a picture book with the story of the first Christmas. I figured this would naturally clear up any misunderstandings he had about the story of baby Jesus. He instantly loved the book, and I was excited that my endeavors seemed to be a success.

The other night I was reading the book to him before bedtime. When we were finished, he said excitedly, "Baby Jesus will come down our chimney and bring us lots of presents."

Here we go again. ​I tried explaining that Santa is the one who comes down our chimney, and not baby Jesus, but his reply was, "OK, Mommy, baby Jesus will slide down our Christmas tree!"

At that point I gave up. Nodding, I responded with, "Mmhmm, yeah. That will be … neat.” ​It was much easier to agree with him than try to set him straight — again. ​I tucked him into bed and that was that.

I doubt he'll think it forever.

Christmas

Christmas Eve

Luke singing Jingle Bells at Grandma Lori and Grandpa Sheldon's Christmas Eve party. 

Opening presents

Christmas Eve back at home

The kids in their Christmas PJs. 

Christmas morning

Luke got a basketball hoop

Halle loved this baby doll she got from Santa and turned into a little mommy.

The one thing Luke has been saying he wants for Christmas all month is a "Christmas cake." Sure enough, Santa brought him his very own Christmas cake! He was so excited.

Later on Christmas Day at Great Grandpa Bob and Great Grandma Lee's house. Luke and Halle got this fun table from Grandpa Dave and Grandma Dixie.

Luke all tuckered out 

Grandpa Sheldon says...

Today is the Sunday day after Christmas. We had a good Christmas and went out to Lindsay and Cory's house Christmas morning before the kids were up. It was about 8 AM and we could hear them in the other room but we all sat on the couch (Me and Mom and Jamie) because we didn't want interrupt them in getting ready. So we were just sitting there and Cory came out first he saw mom sitting there and completely shocked him and scared he because there were people sitting in this house. I was kind funny. It was fun watching the kids open their presents and I think it was very helpful for Lindsay and Cory that we were there because there were still a few item that needed to be assembled and that was pretty hard to do with the kids running around.

Anyway, we opened presents. Luke got a basketball hoop and a basketball, some Disney Winnie the Pooh bear toys and several other things. Halle got a ball also which seemed to be her favorite thing, she also got a toy stroller, crib and baby doll and some other little things. Luke also got his cake he has been asking for. And they got some books.

Grandma Lori says...

Last week I tended Luke and Halle while Lindsay worked. While Halle was asleep Luke and I went outside. First, of course, was the getting ready. Getting little kids ready to go out in the snow is no small task. It always reminds me of the Christmas Story where the little brother is all bundled up and can’t move his arms. Snow suit, boots, gloves, coat, hats, --- it takes a lot of effort and by the time you are done, your are hot and out of breath. It doesn’t seem hard, but it is. At any rate, we finally got him ready and went out to make footprints in the snow. I think I wrote you that he has discovered that new word, “footprint” from making tracks in the snow. We made lots of tracks including big circles all over the back yard. He liked that. I tried to show him how to make a snow angel, but he didn’t like that at all. Then we tried to make a snowman, but the snow wouldn’t pack because it was too cold. However, when I taught him how to eat snow he LOVED that. He thought that was so cool. I explained that it always has to be clean, white snow. Anyway, after eating several handfuls of snow, he was cold and tired so we trudged back in. It’s so much easier for the snow clothes to come off than on!

Rudolph-nose Luke

Luke loves Rudolph and all month long has been coloring his nose red so he looks like him! Funny guy.

A video from Santa AND a false alarm Santa visit

Luke is very excited about the video he got from Santa. It is a fun video Santa sent to mommy's email and Luke has watched it over and over. Santa talks to Luke by his name in it and there are even pictures of Luke in Santa's magical book. It's very cute and very exciting for Luke.

We showed Luke the video Friday night and like I said, he watched it at least a dozen times. Later that night Cory and I stayed up late wrapping presents. I put all the presents for grandmas, grandpas, white elephants for Christmas parties under the tree. I thought we might as well try it out and see if they could make it past an attack from Halle.

Luke woke up in the morning calling into us frantically, "Mommy, Daddy, Santa came!!" He was so excited. Poor guy was a little disappointed when we had to explain those weren't presents from Santa and that he still had a week before Santa would come.

As for the presents, they are now in a box in our garage. Halle thought stepping all over them and ripping the bows off was really fun. Finally after she opened one this morning I came to my senses and moved them. What made me think we could get those presents by her? Not a chance!

Luke playing in the snow with Grandma Lori - by Grandma Lori

This was written in a letter to uncle Jake by Grandma Lori:
Last week I tended Luke and Halle while Lindsay worked. While Halle was asleep Luke and I went outside. First, of course, was the getting ready. Getting little kids ready to go out in the snow is no small task. It always reminds me of the Christmas Story where the little brother is all bundled up and can’t move his arms. Snow suit, boots, gloves, coat, hats, --- it takes a lot of effort and by the time you are done, your are hot and out of breath. It doesn’t seem hard, but it is. At any rate, we finally got him ready and went out to make footprints in the snow. I think I wrote you that he has discovered that new word, “footprint” from making tracks in the snow. We made lots of tracks including big circles all over the back yard. He liked that. I tried to show him how to make a snow angel, but he didn’t like that at all. Then we tried to make a snowman, but the snow wouldn’t pack because it was too cold. However, when I taught him how to eat snow he LOVED that. He thought that was so cool. I explained that it always has to be clean, white snow. Anyway, after eating several handfuls of snow, he was cold and tired so we trudged back in. It’s so much easier for the snow clothes to come off than on!

Holiday fun

At the Ferguson Christmas party

Riding the train around the mall

Making Christmas countdown chains. Notice the Rudolph Luke is holding - his new favorite stuffed animal. 

Our Christmas tree. Ornaments are only on the upper half, otherwise the kids would pull them all off!

At the Grand America to see their Christmas displays and Santa. They had this little bobsled car the kids thought was really fun, and Halle loved sitting in it. 

Visiting Santa and Mrs. Claus! The kids were both scared to sit on their laps by themselves so we jumped in the photo with them. 

Glasses Obsession

Do all kids have an obsession with glasses? Because these two sure do. Whenever we are at either grandparents' house the kids spot glasses they have to try them on. And they often end up breaking them...good thing they are just cheap reading glasses.

I get a kick out of them wearing the glasses every time. They just look so cute and studious with them on. Grandpa Sheldon took these pics a few weeks ago and sent them over to me a couple days back and I thought they were so cute.

Helping daddy shovel snow

It has been snowing a lot in the past few days. The snow seems to keep coming and coming! Luke is loving it. He loves being a big boy and helping daddy shovel the snow. These pictures are from yesterday when I got Luke all bundled up to go outside to "help" with the shoveling. That's our guy, always wanting to be involved and doing everything he can to help.

Being Thankful

We had a great Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend. Thanksgiving dinner was at Grandma Lori's house this year. I am bummed I forgot to take pictures on Thanksgiving Day or really at all this weekend but I decided it would be fun to share some other details of Thanksgiving and Luke this year.

Thanksgiving season has been a lot of fun this year with Luke now old enough to really catch onto it. A few weeks ago we started talking to him about what Thanksgiving is and what we are thankful for. Since then, out of the blue (we could be in the middle of a conversation about anything), Luke will ask, "Mommy, what are woo (you) thankful for?" Or "Daddy, what are woo thankful for?" Or even, "Halle, what are woo thankful for?" (He gets a little frustrated when Halle answers with "no" which is her favorite word right now). After answering him we will ask him in return and it's been fun to hear the answers he comes back with. Luke even started saying "awwwww" when Cory or I would give him an answer (he must have learned that is what we tend to do when he tells us what he is thankful for so he returned the gesture :).

Throughout the weeks we've answered back with many different things. At the first it started with the usual top of the list answers like each other, family, our house, food, etc. But I think Cory and I both found we didn't want to always be giving him the same handful of answers so we started thinking outside the box a little. And it was fun to think of and realize all the things we have to be thankful for.

Today in the car Luke again, out of nowhere, asked us each what we are thankful for. Even though Thanksgiving is over I hope he keeps it up.
A little side note: when he asked Halle today she replied with "Costco". Costco was her second word after ball - she loves the place. Luke nodded his head and replied with, "Ohhh, that's a good one."

Another big part of our Thanksgiving season this year has been the kid's Nickelodeon show Blue's Clues, or thanks to Blue's Clues I should say. Luke and Halle love this little show and there was a Thanksgiving episode on our Comcast On Demand that we've watched many times in the last few weeks. In the episode they talk about being thankful and Steve (the main character) made a THANKFUL BOOK. Luke loves projects so I decided it would be fun for him to make his own Thankful Book (with a little help from Mommy of course).

Luke had a lot of fun with it, and to be honest so did I. I asked Luke the things he was thankful for and wrote down exactly what he said. I rummaged up a few pictures of our family and grandmas and grandpas for the first few pages and we cut them out and glued them into his book. Then the last couple pages we did the lists below. I think this is a little tradition we will keep up. I just love Luke's list. I think his book does a pretty good job of summing my list up too :).

Notice the faces he drew in the book. This is the first time I've seen him draw faces. I didn't even tell him to do it, he just started drawing them on the pages with his grandma and grandpa's pictures and would say, "this is grandma, this is grandpa..". I was impressed!

Side note on the list below: Luke was specific that the Juicety Drink he was thankful for is McDonald's Juicety Drink (aka McDonalds Fruit Smoothies). Looks like Costco's fruit smoothie is #2 behind Mickey D's on Luke's list these days. I guess the golden arches rule all over, even with 2 year olds.

Grandma Lori says...

Luke apparently never stops talking to Lindsay. He just jabbers all day long and wants her to listen all day long. I can’t help chuckling at this one because he is exactly how his mama was at this age. I was going to say it’s just a phase, but I think Lindsay kept it up for years.

Grandpa Sheldon says...

It was also nice and warm yesterday. So we worked on getting Jamie’s gardens into good shape for next year. We got a load of mulch in the white truck and I mowed up a combination of leaves and grass clippings. Then we turned it all into the gardens. Luke is so into the Garden and Jamie of course likes it also. So me and mom decided to help out both last week and this week to try to get the soil good for next year. Luke loves the worms also – and the bigger the better. Man he found a huge one yesterday.