Wearing: Forever21 Dress (similar here) | Missguided Top | Forever21 Boots | Pop & Suki Bag & Strap | Quay Australia x Desi Sunnies
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday since I was young. Aside from birthday, its the one holiday I look forward to every year. To me, Christmas feels like its own season because even though we officially celebrate it on the 24th and 25th, there is so much to do, especially in New York, leading up to those days! There’s Bryant Park’s Winter Village, Saks’ annual Light Show, Rockefeller Center’s Tree Lighting, Macys’ Santa Land, Ice-skating, and even just browsing department and retail store’s festive window displays. Throughout New York, there are beautifully decorated Christmas trees and areas of New York, like the West Village, where many town houses decorate their stoops. Perfect shots for the gram! I just love everything about Christmas – the decorations, the music, the cheesy movies, gift shopping, holiday candles, the feel of Christmas in the air – everything!
My niece turned five this year and I don’t think she truly believes in Santa. I feel like some kids these days are no longer believing in Santa or are questioning at an early age if he is real. I don’t know if its because of all the technology they’re consumed with or if parents aren’t keeping up with the imagination.
I can remember the day vividly when I found out Santa wasn’t real. It was a rough day for me. I think I was about 7 or 8 years old. I had given my mom my annual wish list to pass on to Santa and one of the things I really wanted was this specific Ariel, The Little Mermaid, doll, as I was really into mermaids that year. Like every night when I took a bath, I had “pretend” mermaid fins once I stepped into the tub. Don’t judge me, I had quite the imagination as a kid!
It was probably about two weeks or a little less before Christmas. I was taking a nap because I was getting over a cold. My mom was using that time, of me not being present in the living room, to wrap my gifts. I woke up from my nap earlier than my mom probably expected and I guess she didn’t hear me wake up or come out of my room. I skip into the living room and what do I see her doing? Wrapping the Ariel doll I specifically asked Santa for. My heart dropped.
We both froze and stared at each other for a few minutes. She tried to quickly hide it but it was too late. I had already seen the doll. The wrapping paper she was using matched the wrapping paper under the tree so there was no way she could get out of this one.
I asked her “Why she was wrapping the Ariel doll? I had asked Santa for her for Christmas.” She told me that “Santa did get it for me but one of his elves wasn’t feeling well, so Santa asked her to do him a favor and wrap some gifts.” She really tried to convince me but I knew otherwise, especially since there was a kid in my class that year who kept on telling my classmates and I that Santa wasn’t real. I definitely cried for a bit and she even asked me if I wanted the doll at the moment or if I still wanted her to wrap it. I think I told her to still wrap it and put it under the tree. My mom is so cute. Eventually I got over it but my love for Christmas never went away.
Flash forward to the present day. I am a Toy Buyer and my main job, especially for the last four months of the year, is to be Santa. Ha, not really but you know what I mean! I’m partly responsible in providing the joy kids have upon opening their gifts on Christmas Day!
I plan all year long to make sure I have a great toy assortment in time for Christmas shopping, with cool gift options for kids of all ages. I’m constantly chasing inventory and making sure all customers get their orders in time whether it ships from my company or from the brand directly. I basically make parents, grand parents and other gift shoppers lives a little bit more easier around the holidays.
Who would have thought that the little girl who loves Christmas would grow up to work for a company where her job is curating toy assortments all year long and for the Christmas season? It’s like this job was created for me. It truly all comes full circle. 🙂