Seasons Vs. Holidays

Starting this summer, Kayli and I began lots of ongoing discussions about the seasons. She was learning a “seasons song” at preschool and this got her thinking. She asked me one day “So, what’s up next Mom?” I told her all about Fall and the various things associated with Fall, with Halloween being one small part of the discussion. Well, you know that peaked her interest and she immediately began spotting any and all leaves on the ground as sure signs that Fall was here, in August! Soon Fall truly came and went, and then we headed into winter. Kayli can now tell me all the seasons, in order of occurrence, and give a few identifying characteristics of each, such as “Summer is hot so we can swim”, “Fall is when the leaves fall off the trees” Don’t be fooled, though, by this preschooler’s alleged grasp of the seasons, because the “big picture” is in perpetual development! Sometimes she will see a whole bunch of leaves swirling around in the driveway or a parking lot, and say “Well, it looks like Fall is here again!” or after a long stretch with no sun, as we just recently experienced, she will see the sun shining through our windows, and announce “Mom, I think summer is here”. The grandest of the “circular discussions” we’ve had, however, has been the “Is it Christmas” or “Is it Winter” debate. In Kayli’s mind, Christmas IS Winter, complete with snow. I explained that there is not always snow on Christmas, but sure enough, it snowed, and Kayli gave me that “See I told you” look and said “There it is,Mom, snow. You KNOW, it’s Christmas.” So, Christmas came and went, then the snow kept coming, and Kayli would say “Is it still Christmas, Mom?” No, Kayli, it’s Winter. “Oh” she says, “You know Mom, winter IS a Wonderland! What is a wonderland?” Then, following my very best “winter wonderland”/ snow explanation, she says “Well, I might as well put on my winter dress then” as she pulls out her red velvet Christmas dress with white fur cuffs, to wear to the grocery store. So, just yesterday, we’re out running errands and it begins to lightly snow on us…Kayli says “Oh boy, here we go again, I guess we’ll be getting some more presents!”