The Magic is Real

Sophie woke up at 5:47 AM on Christmas morning with a mission. Not to open presents - to check if Santa had eaten his cookies and drunk his water. Because yes, my three-year-old left water for Santa because ‘flying around the world sounds thirsty work, Mama.’

The Magic is Real

She also left carrots for the reindeer, obviously, and made Marcus help her arrange everything ‘just right’ on the counter last night. The cookies had to be on the special plate (the one with flowers), the water in her favorite cup (the blue one with the chip), and the carrots ‘spread out so each reindeer gets one.’ The thoughtfulness of a three-year-old is something else entirely.

Watching her face when she saw the empty plate this morning - pure wonder. No cynicism, no doubt, just absolute certainty that magic happened in our kitchen while she slept. Marcus and I looked at each other over her head and I swear we both got a little teary. This is what Christmas is supposed to feel like.

Sometimes I forget how good the world can be until I see it through Sophie’s eyes. Today is magic because she believes it is, and honestly? I’m choosing to believe it too.