Creepy Old Man

Lucy has been asking a lot of questions about Santa this year. We've not really made a big deal of Santa in the past, trying instead to focus on Christmas as the birthday of Jesus, and explaining the legend of St. Nick as the origin of gift-giving. But at four-and-a-half she is much more aware of images of him broadcast all around us. I'm doing my best to answer her questions without 'lying' to her and thinking it's pretty harmless to let a little Christmas wonder take hold in her mind. After all, she thinks that My Little Ponies and Little Einsteins are real, too.

The other night I admit to not playing fair. I thought I'd use this new-found belief to my advantage. It had been a particularly whiny day on her part, and by dinner time I was done with it. So I asked her if she understood that she had to be a good girl so Santa would come on Christmas Eve. I know, shame on me. Then, to prove my point, I began to sing:

You'd better watch you, you'd better not cry
You'd better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town!

He's making a list, checking it twice
Gonna find out, who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town!

Then I stopped in my tracks as I realized what I was about to sing next:

He sees you when you're sleeping...

Ewww! Does anyone else find this totally creepy??? Really, my daughter has a hard enough time sleeping without thinking that some strange old man is watching her!

I hummed the next few bars, then commenced with:

He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

Phew! Dodged those nightmares, at least for one night.