This year I was convinced to start an Elf on the Shelf tradition for our son. It didn’t take much coercion, given that he’s at an age when almost anything can be magical, and the wonder and excitement that he has experienced as he searches for the place where the elf has landed from the North Pole every morning is priceless.

Of course, I realize that this is slowly becoming a part of what his holiday memories will be composed of years to come, along with Polar Express rides and Annual Cookie Decorating Parties with his friends.

What seems to inevitably happen, when discussing this with family and friends, is that we develop a rhythm that we’re not certain we knew we were developing as adults. It seems like one day, we were all younger adults and getting to know future spouses, explaining our memories of the holidays and what was special about what our parents did; the next, we had somehow inadvertently morphed into the adults, creating those memories for our own children. We started adulting, and there was no giant text alert or notification to tell us so!

I fondly remember my Christmas Eve worries…how could I get to sleep? If I didn’t get to sleep, how was the Sandman really gonna get me? (I can thank my older sister for that one.) Would Santa like the cake or cookies I made him? Would I get whatever crucial doll or nerdy gift I had wanted all year? To say I was born a Type A personality would be an understatement :-).

Now I get to see this time of year in a totally different light, through the eyes of my much more relaxed and happy-go-lucky son. Although he will certainly want to make sure that we leave cookies for Santa and that he says goodbye to the Elf tonight, all of the worry and ‘what ifs’ that I had are replaced by his silly, impish dancing and laughing about what he is confident will be a joyful Christmas morning. Which, incidentally, means that I have to stress all night over making it such and making sure we assemble and present everything from Santa in the perfect, memorable fashion!

In talking about holiday memories, my mother quips that she and my Dad loved Christmas and staying up late assembling and “testing” out all of the toys. I think I love hearing those stories because it helps to know that everyone is truly a kid at heart (and I use the word ‘kid’ cautiously, knowing my Dad is looking down and shaking his head; “kids are baby goats, Gina; use ‘children’ for people”.) And, not surprisingly, my Santa Dad did a good job of putting away any Christmas treats we baked for him!

So, tonight as we all stay up late quietly and secretly assembling and adulting for our childrens’ Christmas morning delights, I hope we all get the opportunity to soak it all in…the memories being created, the traditions slowly being solidified, and the moments that are truly priceless for children of all ages.