Molly Sez

Yesterday, as we were returning home from the dog park, Molly leaned her head over from the back seat full of excitement. “I can’t wait for Christmas!” She exclaimed.

“You can’t wait for Christmas? Why is that?”

“Everyone at the dog park is talking about it. All the humans get together and sing songs. And we get to have a tree… inside!” She gushed.

“If we had a tree inside, you would just chew on all the branches.”

“Yes! Exactly!”

“Well, Molly, you know we’ve already talked about not bringing sticks into the house.”

“But that’s the point of having a tree in the house. The sticks are already in the house. How awesome is that!?!?!” She took a breath then plunged ahead, “But that’s not all, I get lots of special treats. Some of the dogs say that their humans get them gifts like a new collar, or toys, or beds. And the people eat so much that there’s lots of leftovers, and a lot gets dropped on the floor. Wow! That is going to be so great!”

“I’m sorry, honey. We don’t do that.”

“We don’t do what?”

“We don’t do any of that. We don’t celebrate Christmas. But I’ll get you some special treats anyway.”

“We don’t do that?” She asked, incredulous. “Do we do that other one, ‘Sriracha’, where I get a gift or a treat every day for two weeks? That doesn’t sound tooooo bad.”

“I think you mean ‘Chanukah’, and you actually only get a gift or a treat every day for 8 days, not two weeks. But, no, we don’t celebrate Chanukah either.”

“We don’t celebrate Christmas or shoshoka either?”

We drove on in silence.

“But I want Christmas presents!” She wailed, breaking the silence.

“Honey, I buy you toys and collars and beds all year long. And I give you treats every day.”

She was beside herself, running back and forth in the back of the car. “But Christmas presents are special!” She cried.

“What is special about Christmas presents?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never had a Christmas present.” She sniffled, “So, they’re special! And, and, and, Christmas is fun!”

“Well, you know, these holidays aren’t just about presents and food and treats. They’re about love, and caring, and friends and family. I love and care about you every day, and your grandmother and aunt and I are your family. You have friends all over the neighborhood and at all the different dog parks. So, every day is a special day. Every day is Christmas.”

“Every day is Christmas?”, she sniffled.

“Every day you go for walks, and you run, and we play, and I give you treats and pet you, not because it’s a special day, just for being you.”

She was beginning to calm down. “Is today Christmas?”

“Today we got up and I petted you, and then we watched TV, then you went to the dog park and you ran, and jumped, and played, and chased balls.”

“Is tomorrow Christmas too?”

“Tomorrow your walker comes, and you get to go for a run up in the hills with your pack.”

“And the day after tomorrow is Christmas too?”

“Yes, Molly, the day after tomorrow is Christmas, and the day after that, and the day after that. You’re special, so, for you, every day is Christmas.”

“Do I get a Christmas treat when we get home?”

She is never one to miss an opportunity. “Yes. When we get home, you get a treat.”

“Well…. I guess that sounds good. But I still want a tree in the house!”