Wish Lists & Santa Visits

At the beginning of December, we had a Family Home Evening where we talked about the upcoming Christmas holiday, and we discussed how it's fun to receive things, but it's important to give things too. Then we gave the boys each a paper and had them write 2 lists on it: a list of gifts they hoped to get from Santa and a list of gifts they wanted to give to Jesus.

These were Ammon's lists:

"Things I want from Santa"
1. Ipod
2. wii Wipeout game
3. wii Neighborhood games
4. Lincoln Logs
5. Metal detector
6. Pool table
7. Monopoly City

and "Things I want to do for other people"
1. give brothers presents
2. do things without being asked
3. be nice to others
4. be a supportive friend
5. give friends presents

Jonah's lists were smaller:

"From Santa"
1. Bike
2. Snow shovel
3. Blanket
4. Pair of Gloves

"For Jesus"
1. Set the table

and Micah's lists were even smaller:

"From Santa"
1. Clothes
2. Blanket

"For Jesus"
1. Shovel the snow

Kanyon didn't make lists, because he was 1. too little to write and 2. he had no idea what he even wanted!

A few weeks later, I took the younger 3 boys to visit Santa Clause when he came to the library's pajama party, and they were excited to tell him in person what they wanted most. Jonah was the first to sit on his lap, and he couldn't wait to tell Santa what he wanted. He asked Santa to bring him his number 1 request: a new bike!

But when Micah sat on Santa's lap, he completely surprised me when he told Santa that what he wanted most of all was "shoes". Santa looked rather concerned with that request, and he told Micah that he thought he could find some for him! Micah and Jonah have an over-the-door hanger FULL of shoes in their closet! I was giggling in embarrassment when he told Santa that he needed new shoes, because I knew it simply wasn't true! I still don't know if he just panicked and forgot to ask for what he really wanted, or if he just had no idea what he really wanted and that came first to his mind!

And when Santa asked Kanyon what he wanted, Kanyon just kind of squawked. The only reason Kanyon even sat on his lap was to get the brown bag full of goodies like his older brothers; he didn't really care to make conversation with the guy! And he was happy that he got what he came for--the brown bag, even though it was filled with food that he hates: candy canes, an orange, and peanuts!! Silly boy!
I knew Jonah would get what he wanted from Santa, because he did his Gift to Jesus every single day in December by helping set the table. And Micah shoveled the snow several times, so I figured he'd get most of what he asked for. But I wasn't so sure about Ammon's wish list being completely fulfilled since he didn't do even half of his Gifts to Jesus--he didn't give presents to his friends or his brothers, plus he was pretty ornery at times!

When Christmas morning arrived, my hunches about what they would receive based on how well they served others proved to be true... (to be continued)