It’s almost Christmas. Really, it is. But it’s not Christmas yet. That’s the message we have been giving Teresa for the last few days. It’s a change from what we were saying after Halloween (Christmas is coming, but first we have Thanksgiving, and Frank’s birthday …) and even right after Thanksgiving (Christmas is the next big holiday, but it’s still a month away …). Now, as more and more of the doors open on the Advent calendar, and, as this is written, nearly all the candles are lit on the Advent wreath, Christmas is really and truly almost here. But not quite yet. I think maybe kids are the ones who get the spirit of Advent most of all: the anxious, overwhelming needy anticipation of the season. Sure, they might be as focused as much (or more) on waiting for Santa as they are for Baby Jesus, but they see Christmas as a festival of unalloyed joy. Too many adults, myself included, aren’t so much consumed with waiting and wanting Christmas to come as we are wishing we could stave it off with a candy cane spear, the better to get everything done before the holiday is upon us. There’s shopping and baking and decorating, oh my. And wrapping and the tree and we aren’t going to get Christmas cards out again this year, are we? My older kids, both teenagers now, are past the little-kid-Christmas-is-magical stage, and are busy with school and other activities until Christmas really is upon us. But for Teresa, every time she sees a new sign of Christmas, she asks again. Her preschool Christmas concert? “Is it Christmas now?” The tree placed in its stand? “Is it Christmas now?” The subtext, I think, is, “Is Santa coming?” That’s a question loaded with eagerness, for presents, and fear, because she’s still not sure about this strange guy coming into the house while we sleep. But she’s also wondering where Baby Jesus from the biggest nativity set is. That’s the only set with a baby Jesus that can be removed from the manger. The others that share space on the living room coffee table include a Fisher Price Little People set and a wooden block-type set, perfect for little hands to play with, and she does. Sometimes other Little People figures join them, especially the animals from the Noah’s Ark set, sometimes the figurines get mixed up between sets, especially the wise men, but it’s all about remembering that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, and Santa is based on a saint who taught us about giving. Now that it’s getting really close, I asked Teresa if we should do a cake for Baby Jesus on Christmas, since it’s his birthday. She had to think for a minute, questioned whether it would be fair, since even if God is everywhere, he doesn’t seem to eat our food, then decided it would be good, because, well, cake is good. One more thing to look forward to.