Twas the Night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, there's a Korean Adoptee that was stirring about to become Santa Clause.

Ah the holidays, such a funny thing for me, growing up in an italian family. My fondest memory is one year at my very Italian Christmas party my uncle, who was usually santa clause decided that he didn't want to do it this particular year. So of course the family was short on volunteers. So of course being the jovial person I am I decided I'd be Santa Clause. I mean they'd never have a clue! I just throw on the white hat, beard and stuff my red suit with pillows and viola! I'm Santa! Well a Korean Adopted adolescent becoming Santa for a Western European audience is not something that one can get away with. If you want to relate it to a movie, remember that scene in the Stephen King film, Carrie when the pig blood gets spilled on her head and everyone laughs at her? Yup, that's the same feeling I had. Only I didn't have the supernatural abilities to control fire hoses. But after all of the laughter and, "Hey Santa, where did you get that tan, comments. I successfully delivered the gifts to all and to all a good night.

This year, I have my own kids to become Santa for and it's truly a magical experience. I never knew what a joy it was to feel the magic of Christmas until I saw it in my kids eyes. The way they ran into the bedroom when I said it's time to go to sleep becuase Santa doesn't come when you are awake. My daughter said that we need 3 cookies for santa. My son although he's not tired is forcing himself to fall asleep just so those visions of gumdrops can become a reality faster.

I love this holiday because for a moment in everyone's life we can be a kid again. We can believe and bring magic to our children's lives even if it's for a short few years before they start snooping around for gifts or some kid at school ruins it for them by saying Santa's not real it's your parents that buy you everything. Those little Scrooges.


This holiday season I'm thankful for new beginnings, a new year, a new Texas love, a new extenstion of a family to care for, a new apartment, new neighborhood, new clients, everything is new. I reflect on the treachery of 2008 and bid it farewell for good. Aside from Barack Obama winning the office of the president, it was one of those years that will live in infamy, like 1929 (the Great Depression), 1941 (Pearl Harbor), and 1968 (MLK assassination) and 2000 (Bush won), 2001 (9/11 attacks), and 2004 (when Bush won again).

Thanks for checking out my DISORIENTED Blog - I called it disoriented because I was born in Korea, and was raised by Italians. When that happens you loose the ORIENTAL (how some Americans refer to Asian Americans) in you. Please join me every week for my face to face sessions with other Adopted Koreans, mixed blood hapa, bapas, and more called IDENTITEA! where we talk about adopted issues while we drink some of the most amazing tea!