Here at Megan Blasdel Photography, we’ve been thinking about Santa Claus. True, we did recently host Mr. Claus in-studio for the annual pictures-with-Santa sessions, but we’ve also been thinking about the classic character himself, and how he inspires us to be our best selves. As it turns out, surprise presents and Christmas magic aside, Santa is a pretty good role model for a busy parent.
Reason #1: Body positivity.
Santa is, as we know, unapologetically rotund. No doubt, Santa enjoys decadent cookies all night long on Christmas Eve and washes it down with whole milk. I’m willing to bet he never follows that up with, “Ho, ho, ho… I’ll be needing to swap places with Rudolph to burn off all those calories!” Nope. He enjoys life exactly as he wants to! So for Santa, he reminds us that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!
Santa loves seeing happy, healthy kiddos. For some tips from the experts on how to keep the magic and innocence of childhood alive, these are some great reads: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/developing-positive-body-img; https://www.yogiapproved.com/life/body-positive-daughter/
Reason #2: Jolly Old Saint.
Is becoming cranky an inevitable part of growing up? Well, “Get off my lawn!” is a real mood- we’ve all been there. But, getting older (ie, adulting) can also mean mellowing out. “You’ve got perspective and wisdom,” I tell myself, “so take the high road.” And, whenever I catch myself veering Scrooge-ward, I find some way to laugh. Maybe not all the way to “shake like a bowl full of jelly” laughter, but I can usually muster a mood-lightening chuckle.
Feeling the holiday stress? The Mayo Clinic has some advice! https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
Reason #3: Leadership.
“He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk....” When it’s time to get ‘er done, Santa doesn’t slack. Laundry? Dishes? Check. No whining. (I’ll strive for less whining…and less procrastinating on my part.) Point taken, Santa. “Only Handle it Once” and “Swallow the Big Frog First” and all that. Of course, when it’s time to work together, the wise old elf makes the most of that, too. He knows his helpers by name and cheers for them: "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!” Bottom line: find a balance between keeping quietly to yourself and using your positive, authoritative voice to get things done. There’s magic in delegating!
https://www.mother.ly/life/mama-you-cant-do-it-all-so-please-delegate
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/21/11-memory-hacks-to-remember-the-names-of-everyone-you-meet.html
Reason #4: Lists.
Make lists. Check them twice. It’s true that I depend on many digital devices and apps for my business, but I also have an old-school pen-and-paper planner to keep on top of things. Writing a list and holding myself accountable for what did or didn’t happen sets a good example, I think -- as long as the high-priority stuff (like reading books with the kiddos) goes near the top of it!
https://www.notebooklove.com/blogs/news/lust-for-lists-how-to-master-the-art-of-list-making
Well, taking my own advice, I’ve still got some work-related to-do list items to check off. After that I’m going to wrangle my family onto the couch for a funny holiday movie and some milk and cookies. Hope you’re getting into the Christmas spirit, too. Santa comes tonight, and I know he’s going to do a GREAT JOB!
a special thanks:
to today’s blog-writer, Elf AJ for their insightful look into Santa’s best qualities!