Christmas Eve Story

This Christmas I worried about my children being "spoiled". I wanted them to understand the true meaning of Christmas. This does not always seem easy when at every turn the world is focused on presents and Santa Claus and what children are going to 'get' for Christmas. Now, please don't misunderstand me. There is something so sweet and innocent in the way my children glow as they feel that Christmas "magic" of Santa and the excitement of Christmas Eve. I love seeing this. But I want them to also have a foundation filled with the peace and joy that comes from celebrating the birth of our Savior.
This year we tried to help them focus on what they could 'give' for Christmas. Both of the girls had to earn "stars" from doing extra chores. With these stars they were able to go out and buy presents for each other and for Mommy and Daddy. Taylee loved this and she very willingly helped me with vacuuming, doing dishes, watching Paxton while I was showering, etc. We also tried to put more thought into the gifts that we gave to other people. For one very special set of grandparents, we reproduced a fairy-tale that I remember my grandmother reading to me as a child whenever I slept over at their house. My kids acted out the parts as I took pictures and using Shutterfly we made a book for them. We also blew up a picture from our Oregon trip of Sean and Taylee walking on the beach, framed and matted it and put the 'footprints' poem on it for Sean's parents and my parents. The girls loved giving these gifts.
I still worried. And then came Christmas Eve. And Taylee gave me the best Chrsitmas gift she could give me...
Ealier in the week I had been talking to another mother and she was feeling so badly that she couldn't give her daughter what she wanted for Christmas. When this mother asked her daughter the question of "What if Santa can't bring that?" the child broke down crying and responded that she must have been on the naughty list then. This broke this mother's heart (and mine as well when I heard it).
Please don't think that I thought this child was spoiled because of her answer because I don't. But it made me wonder how my children would respond to the same question.
Taylee had only asked for 2 things for Christmas. A 3 Musketeer Barbie Doll and the Prince. On Christmas Eve, in the midst of the fun and activities of Grandma and Grandpa Kress's house Taylee was sitting on my lap and I asked her "What if Santa doesn't bring you those presents?"
My sweet little girl thought about it for a moment and then smiled as she said, "That's ok. I like surprises!"
My heart melted and my eyes filled with tears as I hugged her to me. She had made my Christmas.