Mommy 0, St. Nick 1

Yesterday, December 6th, was the Feast of St. Nicholas. A lovely tradition celebrated on this feast day is that of the children in the house setting out their boots the night before in the hope of a visit from St. Nick during the night. The little ones wake on the morning of the feast and rush to their boots where candies, chocolates and little trinkets await. Or not.

You see, this mommy got it in her head that, because December 6th was a Sunday this year, surely that meant that the Feast of St. Nick was trumped by the little Easter and bumped to the next day, Monday, December 7th. So, this mommy wisely informed her kids not to set out their boots on Saturday night because St. Nick was cooling his heels until Sunday night.

Luckily, this Mommy happened to peruse the pages of Facebook early Sunday morning where she noticed a liturgically-wise friend whose status read something like this: "Saturday night: boots laid out in anticipation of St. Nick on Sunday morn."

What? This mommy's mind began to race because she knew that within two hours her kids would alight from the van to a church where they just might talk to some other kids who were enjoying their boot bounty. So, this mommy ran to the garage where a stash of candy was sitting in the stroller (left over from the previous day's Santa Claus parade). She then deposited the candy canes, chocolate mints and a twoonie into each of her children's boots. She silently raised a prayer to heaven begging that her children would not recognise the candy that they had harvested on the streets of their small town the day before. Then, she asked her eldest son if perhaps he had left his boots at the farm because she just couldn't find them.

Her husband, who had no idea what she was up to, said: "But how could he have walked to the van if he hadn't been wearing his boots?" She replied with a meaningful stare.

Her eldest son bolted to the mudroom where he quickly checked the status of his boots. Not noticing anything out of place he told her: "They're there, Mom."

"Umm, yes, but, hey! why are they in a circle like that?"

Upon which her eldest son looked a little more closely, screamed with delight and called for his siblings.

"But I thought you said it was on Monday, Mom." (Only daughter, always perceptive.)

"Yes, thank God Saint Nick knows what he's doing because Mommy sure doesn't."

Her only girl, peering closely at her lollipop, wondered aloud, "Why is my sucker dirty?" (The streets had been quite slushy during the parade.)

"Ummm, let me wash it."

And that's what I will admit to. I won't admit to sending my kids to school on Friday, October 30th fully garbed as an angel and pirate only to receive them home at the end of the day divested (as much as possible) of their costumes because no one else was dressed for Hallowe'en. I still haven't had the chutzpah to ask when exactly their school trick or treats; but I do know that my children will somehow make their way through childhood in spite of their mother. Wish them luck.