But this is a modern household and the rituals above are only the foundation to what forms the holiday for an almost 6 year old...presents!

I can  only liken S's reaction to some of his booty to an audinence member who just got chosen to "Come on down" by Bob Barker to be a contestant on The Price is Right. Less hot-dogging -- a la football player after a touchdown -- and more devotional shouts, radiant and jumping and just "this" side of speaking-in-tongues, like someone moved by the spirit in a Southern Baptist church. However, this first exhibition of hallelujah was aimed towards his Chanukah gift. I swear I saw tears in his eyes when he realized he got the very Bionicle he was wanting.

Fast forward 3 days to Christmas morning. Sure, his parents and grandparents rocked his world in the gift-giving arena, but Santa is still magic in this house. There was that middle-America, holiday sweater wearing contestant again. "How did he know what to get me?!" "I guess I just wished for it hard enough." "This is the best Christmas ever!"

Yogic Segue.

In the weeks preceding the holidays, we saw S making mental and actual lists of what he wanted--for the two holidays we celebrate that's a lot of time spent on wanting. This, to say the least, gives my husband and me pause (read: freaks us out). How do we encourage balance? Sam sure expresses the essential quality of tapas (burning desire) and samtosa (the feeling of being content with what we have)... it's just the gratitude that should follow is sporadic and not inspired. Again he is not yet 6 so these might be lofty ideals for a child of his age. So we have been trying to use sportsmanship as a tool to support the quality of trust. As you play the game Trouble and Dad has bumped you, or you haven't popped a 6 and lagged behind...TRUST that the game isn't over until the last pop is popped. Trust that nothing is written in stone, enjoy the ride and just see what happens. As opposed to throwing the pegs, manipulating the rules in your favor or flat out giving-up hope. And then, whether you win or loose, but especially when you loose, you thank your opponent for a good game.

In yoga, Isvarapranidhana is the dedication of all our actions, performed either by intellect, speech or body, to the Divine. Without compromising tapas, we should accept the fact that we will not always get everything we want. Sometimes we get disappointed. Things do go wrong, this is the reason why samtosa is so important. But to enhance the knowledge that we have done our share, we need to add in the quality of wishing (desire mixed with contentment then...letting go). Forget it. Let it happen. Don't worry, fret or doubt. Be at peace with your wish. Let the universe handle it. It is done. 

And this morning, just when you thought Dad had it in the bag with only one pop of a 1 to go, you popped a 6. Now you've lapped Dad! And with a magic pop of a 3, won! "I guess I just wished for it hard enough." Cue more possessed wails and prostration.