Eliana had special homework tonight, part of her new unit on Celebraciones. She was supposed to choose her three favorite holidays and then answer some questions about them. This was terribly amusing on many levels. First, the three favorites:
1. Christmas (predictable)
2. Valentine's Day (pretty normal)
3. Dia de los Muertos (I wonder where she goes to school)
Then we got to the meat of answering the questions. Eliana had to say why our family celebrates Christmas.
Me: Okay, El. What do you think? Why does our family celebrate Christmas.
Elie: I don't know! Wait, to save the trees!
Hmmm. Perhaps celebrate the trees. After they've all been cut down.
So I launched in a bit. Well, you know in our family we like to celebrate the season of winter and the love in our family. We want to be generous and show appreciation for the people we love through giving gifts. But really, the origin of Christmas has to do with a birthday. Remember Jesus Christ? Well, Jesus's birthday is actually on Christmas.
Eliana...after a bit of quiet reflection...: Wait. Why does Santa bring us presents when Jesus should?
She was thinking about how when she goes to a birthday party, she brings a gift but she also gets a gift (the party itself, the treats, the goodie bag...it's a win-win). So, yeah. Who the heck is Santa anyway? How'd he get mixed up in this whole shebang?
The whole homework process began to deteriorate right about there. Valentine's Day was kind of a repeat of my, "love and appreciation" spiel. She knew way more about the real origins and meaning behind Day of the Dead than either of the other two. So, way to go Internaional School. Bad job mommy and daddy on any sort of folklore.
I guess if she keeps focusing on love and appreciation she's on the right track.
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