Kate's Black & White Christmas

Kate & Sarah's school had their Winter Wonderland party this evening. There were arts and crafts, presents for all the kids, some songs and Santa stopped by! These things are tricky with 2 kids, as the events tend to take place in each classroom. Tonight when I arrived I went first to Kate's room. There was a platter of cookies out for all to enjoy and they were beginning some exciting crafts. When I asked Kate if she wanted to come with me to Sarah's room she insisted I bring Sarah to her. So I did. I persuaded Sarah, whose room was cookieless, to go to Kate's room where there were cookies. It wasn't hard. They made candy cane reindeer. OK, I made candy cane reindeer. Kate & Sarah supervised.





Next - music! The Pre-K classes sang their little hearts out. Kate kept her reindeer in hand because, with its red nose, it made a suitable prop for the opening number, Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer. Each time they sang his name, she elevated her reindeer for emphasis. I proudly noted that none of the other kids had made this connection. Many were eating their reindeer. Sarah hung out with me while the big kids sang, complaining when people blocked her view.

Then Santa arrived. Sarah was terrified. She leapt into my arms and held on to me for dear life. We waited in the short line for Kate to sit on his lap while Sarah screamed unrelentingly "I don't wanna see Santa! I don't wanna see Santa!" Kate climbed into his lap, smiled for the camera (not mine, they were using the photo op as a fundraiser) and hopped off. As we left the school a little later, she made a point to tell Santa good-bye.

The girls' school is peopled predominantly by black kids. Sarah has yet to notice she is in the minority and Kate notices from time to time, but in a matter of fact manner. She's been there since she was Sarah's age and Sarah's pretty much always been there and they've known nothing but kindness, so I can't see why they'd be troubled by being one of the few pink kids. Fittingly, tonight's Santa was black. On the way home in the car I was trying to get Kate to sing for me some more. "I want to sing for Santa" Sarah mused (the big kids sang him We Wish You a Merry Christmas just before he was mobbed). "Well, I don't know, Sarah, " I replied "you seemed pretty terrified of Santa." Sarah agreed that he was terrifying. "Don't worry, Sarah" came Kate's voice (finally, if only she'd put it to song!) "later we'll go see White Santa. You see, " she explained to her neophyte sister, "there's a Black Santa and a White Santa." I allowed that this was possible, who am I to say otherwise?