I've been thinking about this quite a bit recently, with Christmas coming up and everything. I have to say I am a bit confused as to what Christmas will be like in my house. It's just my son and I, and I'm not particularly fussed about it. I am not Christian, but my family did the Santa tradition growing up.. presents, lots of food and big get-togethers etc. But now I'm living in a small town, my only relative here is my mum. (the rest of my family are all interstate). I've been trying to think of ways to make Christmas day a bit different to normal, but that's where I get stuck! I am really struggling to find any meaning in it at all for me as a non-believer. To give gifts for no reason seems a bit extravagant when I am not celebrating anything. Don't get me wrong, I love to be generous but to do it just to follow the crowd makes me feel a bit weird. That said though I do have some gifts to give my son, but they are small and mainly hand made by me. I have sent charity gifts to the rest of my family (goats, chickens etc) as I just can't justify buying 'stuff' that people don't need. Mum is coming around for lunch, but apart from that, I don't know how the day will be any different from any other days.

As for the Santa thing, I won't be doing that with DS. I won't lie to him, I plan on telling him that Santa is a character. I know that will be difficult with all the outside influences (even a lady at the shops told him Santa is coming!), but he will know the gifts come from me. As he will be spending a fair bit of time in Africa growing up I don't want him to question why Santa only comes to the white kids when he sees the African kids miss out. Also, I don't want him to be ridiculed when we are there for believing in a red suited man who comes down chimneys!