As parents, we tend to overestimate our children’s depth of understanding. As a result, we spend a lot of time worrying (unnecessarily) about the minutia – especially during the holidays.

Last Christmas, while procrastinating gift wrapping until the evening of December 24, I caught myself shoving the “From: Santa” wrapping paper deep down in the depths of the garbage bin. What if later in the day my 3 and 1 year-olds were to catch sight of it sitting there on the top of the pile??

Surely they would remember what wrapping paper I had used for the “From: Santa” presents that they’d ripped into before breakfast and figure out that it was, in fact, ME who had wrapped them – not some happy elves in Santa’s work shop!

But then I thought – SNAP THE HELL OUT OF IT, NIKITA! THEY’RE LEGIT BABIES! YOU’VE GONE MAD! LITERALLY EVERYTHING IS MAGIC TO THEM! JUST RELAX!

And as I calmed the fuck down, I began to think of my fellow magic makers.

The ones who bought gifts and wrapped them (and the ones who shoved them in bags with tissue); the ones who carted their kids to photo studios to take Christmas pictures in November so they could send out December greetings to family and friends (and the ones who forgot); the ones who baked cookies for Santa (and the ones who stopped at 711 and bought a pack after X-mas Eve dinner).

No matter how we do it, we make shit merry and bright for the little humans we love – so today I raise a glass of red wine (’cause Stacey Green told me so) to all of you. To us.

It is not easy being responsible for all the magic of Christmas – but I will say, this time of year makes me feel unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to be in the presence of total innocence – to spend my time with little souls who are so easily delighted, who don’t doubt or judge, who believe in beautiful stories and see whimsy in every Christmas Tree and twinkling light and snowflake they meet.

In a lot of ways, I still feel like a kid, but times like these serve as a good reminder that I’ve officially crossed over to the other side and view from where I stand now is the best I’ve ever seen.

* Pours bourbon. Decks halls.

*

Featured Image: Naomi Campbell for YSL, 1989

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