Do You Believe?

Yes, I'm talking Christmas in October.

Last December, our elf Christopher Pop-In-Kins surprised Dylan with a gift that included a plush elf. He liked it then, but, like many toys, was eventually sidelined and ended up in a bucket of stuffed animals in Dylan's room. Until this summer.

A couple of months ago while playing in his room, Dylan rediscovered his plush elf and suddenly that toy has elevated in status. The elf is carried all over the house. The elf is propped up to watch TV. The elf sleeps in Dylan's bed (often tucked in with an extra lovey). The elf traveled with us to the beach in early September. The elf was even given a name - Abby - and Dylan explained to me that the elf is a girl.

All was happy until the morning he woke and showed me that "Abby has a hole." Sure enough, the seam in the back was coming apart and there was a hole large enough for a preschooler's finger to fit into. Coincidence? Hmm.

I suggested we sew Abby back up good as new and Dylan's immediate response, "he [everyone is a 'he' still] needs to go back to Santa to be fixed." Um, ok. What was I thinking? Of course, like her buddy Christopher Pop-In-Kins surely Abby can pop right back to the North Pole and see the big man in red for an official fix.

A couple days later, Abby wasn't seen at bedtime. Dylan didn't appear too concerned and I didn't bring it up. The next morning when I went to wake him for school, something on the dresser caught my eye and as he woke, I asked him what it was. There was Abby good as new. And a very happy little boy who believes in the magic of Christmas all year long.