Sometimes I'm not exactly sure how these converstaions evolve. We're in the car, driving to pick up Cairan from school. Haydn announces that he doesn't think that Santa will be bring any presents this year (testing me of course). I ask him why he would think that and he, ready with his answer, simply and flatly replies that their rooms aren't clean. Prompted by Alek we launch into a discussion of "naughty and nice". Jonah begins a sermon on how Jesus wants us to be nice. I ask him which he thinks Santa prefers and Alek promptly and emphatically shouts, "Nice!" Haydn in his philisophical way declares that no, he thinks Santa prefers more children to be naughty so that his elves don't have to work so hard. That's my Haydn, projecting his own distaste for work on Santa's elves of all creatures. Intending to discredit his argument, I explain that the elves appreciate the value of hard work and that they get great satisfaction from a job well done, resulting in some very happy elves. Therefore, Santa also chooses "nice". On hearing how much elves love to work, Alek asks, "can we buy an elf?" If only!
