Creating magic

I am sure ours is not the only household where parents have this week carried out a stocktake of the presents or their young children and suddenly thought: 'hmm, is that enough?'
 
When my wife did it the other day, you can imagine my response as I could just about make out the tip of her head above the towering pile of parcels (ok, slight exaggeration!)
 
'Yes!' I said. 'Yes, it is. Now about the broken fence...'
 
The fence around the roadside part of our garden blew down in the wind the other day. It needs replacing. If you're listening, Santa old chum.
 
But no, the wife was still staring at the kids' Christmas stash. Even I had to agree it looked a trifle measly. We'd got lots of stocking fillers and little bits, but not much in the way of 'big' presents. Big as in size rather than cost.
 
It wasn't like we hadn't spent lots of money already - a games console each will ensure January is a bit of a struggle. And it's a third of the fence. Yet is a fact of parentdom, as my wife's late mum once said, that as kids get older, their presents get smaller, even though you probably spend more on what they want.
 
Normally I would have put my foot down. We've budgeted for what we've got the kids already. It would be foolish to abuse the bank account any further. The kids will be happy with what they've got.
 
Then again they are four and six, almost five and seven, on the cusp of, as painful as it is to think, not believing. This year they do, but next year I reckon our eldest might just have worked it out or at least will have strong suspicions. Last night watching Elf I realised that films that seemingly help to reaffirm the existence of Santa to young children offer up clues to the contrary to the more savvy ones. When Papa Elf' resignedly says that people still believe the parents are responsible for their presents from Santa on Christmas Day, our little girl said: 'yeah, parents could never afford to buy all that.' Oh the unintentional irony in her half-hearted, slightly uncertain words.
 
And I reckon that this is the reason that parents keep on spending in the run-up to Christmas, even if they can't quite afford to buy all that. Because their kids are beginning not to believe and life is really divided into the time when you do and the time when you don't. Another fifty quid on the credit card will be worth it for the magic you can bring your little ones while you've got the chance. Priceless, as one of the adverts say.
 
So now the kids' booty looks more substantial. A couple more gifts, one or two inexpensive 'big' ones and maybe another trip to a charity shop on the cards. Yes, we may have spent more than we should have spent, but I'm not going to feel guilty for doing so. Besides contributing to the two thousand or so Visa cards being used per millisecond is helping our economy, right?
 
I know it isn't quite the true meaning of Christmas, but the kids have got many many years ahead of them on the other side with all the other non-believers to learn all about that.
 
For now bring on the magic. The fence can wait.
 
Happy holidays everyone!