This is the Christmas season. The season of joy. The season of gift giving and receiving them. Of eating sweets in copious amounts and yes of Santa Claus visiting children around the world and distributing gifts.
The most important question in the mind of
children in the run up to Christmas is what should they ask from Santa this
Christmas? It is a question that is asked by children to themselves in great
seriousness. Some children may be very clear in their mind while others' needs
will shift like sand in a sand storm. For the parents it can be a period of
some stress awaiting their children’s final decision. It is a situation that is
usually tackled with humour by the parents as they attempt to rein in the
demands of their children who seem keen on getting the world in their gift bag.
Gayatri Mukharji, a mother to a five year
old, was surprised when she learned her daughter Neelza Uma wanted snow in a
can. A demand which has been driving her a bit crazy. She said,” she said she
wanted snow spray because she wanted snow in Goa. It certainly is a difficult
question asking your child what she wants for Christmas. My daughter is in the
senior kg at St Xavier’s School in Moira”. She laughed as she said Christmas
would be interesting this time at home.
During Christmas the knowledge gained
through the year is used while asking for gifts. The availability of
information in the digital world makes it even easier.
Sabina De'cunha, a mother of three kids,
has to deal with kids of different ages with different kinds of demands. She
said Melissa, her daughter of 7, was a good daughter through the year. As you
may remember, it is important to be on your best behaviour through the year for
Santa to give you gifts on Christmas day. Sabina said her daughter was a good
student in school and she was involved in a lot of activities in the school as
well as in the church. She said Melissa was a daughter every mother would want
to have. The second one, Samuel at 5 wanted a big statue of Mother Mary and
other people found in a crib. The youngest son Jaden, all of two year and
studying in lower KG sings songs in Konkani. Loved singing with his
grandmother. Sabina said he wanted moving toys but his requirements kept changing
regularly. She smiled and said she was waiting for a final decision.
Kruti Andrade said her child did not want
anything. She said it had not been spoken but gifts would be present under the
tree. It was usually a last minute thing and now since they would be travelling
that’s the way it would be this year too.
For Melisa Abner has a son Adner who is
five years old. She said her son wants a lot of toys. Whatever he finds
attractive, she said, he wants. Whatever is new in the market and catches his
eye, she smiled and said he wants. Now here is the kicker. Adner has never
received toys on Christmas prior to this. Melisa said perhaps this could be the
year when he gets toys. She said he has been ok when it comes to his behaviour.
One hopes for the best that Adner receives his gifts from Santa this year.
The age of a child can mean very different
things. For example, Lydia Fernandes has two children. Milosha who is six and
Jeremy who is three. Lydia says her son has requested for the mythical creature
called the unicorn as a gift and her daughter wants nail art as a play toy. The
mother, like any other mother, was unfazed by the demands and said, “They will
get what they have asked for.” Ohh yes the love and determination of a mother
can never be underestimated.
There are all kinds of kids, some who want
the world in their bag and then kids like Hazia, daughter of Ayesha Punvani.
Ayesha said her daughter was the very antithesis of everyone around her and was
one who did not place big demands. When she asked her daughter, she said, “I
want a tiffin box and a pen whitener.”
Being young does not mean not being
exposed to technology. Olga Korgoankar said her son Ramir who was six wanted a
camera and a 3 g pen while her daughter Arina who is four wanted elves from
Frozen and Anna from Frozen.
Confusion is quite common in the minds of
children as Christmas approaches. Neelu Patil laughed when asked what her
daughter Liara who was six wanted for Christmas. She said, “The list goes on
and on.
There is improvisation everyday and by now
even Santa is confused. Several options are provided by my daughter saying that
if Mrs Claus has a problem with A she could make B and send it. Kids just love
doing this. It is beautiful and it is harmless”. She said for herself her elder
sister did all the shopping. Liara had learned that there was a one gift limit
and one had to be on one's best behaviour through the year. Santa she was told
was always watching. Earlier before she could write, she would draw her
requests which would result in several discussions as to what it was. In the
morning Neelu said she would look under the tree and usually be happy. This
year she hoped it would be no different.
This tradition has stayed constant right
through the ages and one hopes it will stay for a very long time