You can give gifts to anyone. If they don't celebrate Christmas you can say "happy holidays" which means happy everything.
[Matt smiles. The questions mean she's listening and learning. They're not frustrating. He hopes to keep up with her and give good answers.]
People celebrate Hanukkah--that's a Jewish holiday that celebrates a miracle of a sacred lamp burning without enough oil for eight nights. Uh. There's Kwanzaa and I don't know enough about it to tell you but we can learn. And some people don't have a religious connection to Christmas but like it anyway because it is a peaceful time about giving and good cheer.
[There is way, way more to cover than he thought here. Oof!]
Well. Maybe. Some people say that Santa Claus is magic. Other people say that he lives there because it's private and he wants to be hidden. There are very, very cold parts of the world where people live and you wouldn't expect them to be. At the North Pole he lives with his wife and elves that help make the toys and keep the list of all the good and bad children.
Yes, we can. And it doesn't have to be a big expensive gift. The thought of wanting to give something is significant.
[Books. Ah, he nods quickly.]
There are books, yes. I'll find some for you.
[Since this is going to be a long research project, there are going to be many books coming in.]
All of the holidays fit the way uh people's birthdays do. The years keep going and traditions come and you make room for what you want to take up your time.
[He can tell these are not the only questions. And having a response for each so far has been encouraging for the both of them.]
Magic could be, yes. It's a kind of power that can't be explained. I always thought that the North Pole was a whole village of people, not just a scattered handful. No one has seen them. They must be very happy if they're willing to do the job each year, right?
[Before Matt even thinks of it seriously, he's speaking of Santa Claus as a real person.]
I would like to do that. We can pick things together?
[ She bounces a little on the couch cushion in excitement. She likes reading the books. She's not very fast at it yet, but Matt helps her. ]
What are traditions? [ She knows about birthdays. She does not know if she has one. Or what it might be. She has not thought to ask.
She's enraptured by the talk of magic and elves and a village so far in the cold. She wonders if it is like the Eden in the comics. She has not asked about that either. ]
Yes. They must really like making things for everyone, too.
Of course we can. [Book store shopping has been one of those excursions they truly enjoy together. And with the help of a phone app Matt can help her decide.]
Traditions are... beliefs or acts that you carry on and repeat out of enjoyment or reverence. Like how Foggy will bring his baseball and bat to work during baseball season. Or when I pray---.[she's seen him do it and there are more reasons to pray these days for strength, for patience, for being the best person and for Laura]. Some are serious, some aren't.
[Basic concept seems and feels vague. Matty thinks a second.] So for Christmas let's say people like to go door to door singing one day and ice skating another day. You don't have to do both of them or any of them. They are just practices that people do during the holiday season.
[Yeah, they're gonna need books. This is so much bigger than a conversation.]
And it's the giving that's important. Not what it is. Because it's so cold and there are so many good things around, we should try and share it with people who are less fortunate. That way we all can be like Santa Claus.
[ The stores they got to have many, many books. Sometimes they aren't always stores, but libraries. That is where Matt taught her about borrowing things with permission. She has a card with her name on it. ]
I like it when he does that. Sometimes we play catch. [ And she's also seen Matt pray. She does not fully understand it, but it is important to him. ]
Can we try some of these things together? [ She wants to know what they sing. And what ice skating is. ]
Like the man in the park? When we shared our hot dogs and soda?
[Libraries that offer books out of print. And often have a superior selection. A quiet day at the library is one of the wonderful treasures they can share.]
I enjoy it too.
[Foggy turns into a little kid at the drop of a hat as it is. Baseball is just one of those things they mutually latch onto. Explaining a sport is easier than explaining a religion. That's just the facts.]
Sure we can. There are many more too. Like making cookies, making a snow man. Decorating the apartment.
[ She loves those days. They find them as often as they can. Usually more often than not because Laura's pace at devouring books is growing steadily now that she's learned to read. ]
Decorating the apartment? Like with the lights and shiny things?!
[ Oh, you've done it now, Murdock. She's sitting up on her knees on the couch, and bouncing a little. ]
[ And then they can make these things to put up in the apartment and give to people to make them smile. That is part of it, yes? ]
We can both write the list?
[ Since his would need to be with the little dots she doesn't know yet. She's learning to write as well but it is not as good as her ability to ready. ]
[And now there is so very, very much to do. Matt hasn't had a busy Christmas season outside of what's on the street or in the office. This kind of busy hasn't been in his life since--well, maybe it never quite was. St. Agnes had it's times, and Jack provided to the best of his ability.
Matt understands that pressure that adults have now. Christmas is supposed to be special. And this would be Laura's first time participating. As Foggy says "go big or go home".]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[Matt smiles. The questions mean she's listening and learning. They're not frustrating. He hopes to keep up with her and give good answers.]
People celebrate Hanukkah--that's a Jewish holiday that celebrates a miracle of a sacred lamp burning without enough oil for eight nights. Uh. There's Kwanzaa and I don't know enough about it to tell you but we can learn. And some people don't have a religious connection to Christmas but like it anyway because it is a peaceful time about giving and good cheer.
[There is way, way more to cover than he thought here. Oof!]
Well. Maybe. Some people say that Santa Claus is magic. Other people say that he lives there because it's private and he wants to be hidden. There are very, very cold parts of the world where people live and you wouldn't expect them to be. At the North Pole he lives with his wife and elves that help make the toys and keep the list of all the good and bad children.
no subject
[ He's been teaching her to read. She catches on pretty quickly. ]
There are this many holidays in such a small time? How do they all fit?
[ She has a lot more questions. Her face scrunches up in confusion. ]
Is magic special abilities? They don't get lonely there?
no subject
[Books. Ah, he nods quickly.]
There are books, yes. I'll find some for you.
[Since this is going to be a long research project, there are going to be many books coming in.]
All of the holidays fit the way uh people's birthdays do. The years keep going and traditions come and you make room for what you want to take up your time.
[He can tell these are not the only questions. And having a response for each so far has been encouraging for the both of them.]
Magic could be, yes. It's a kind of power that can't be explained. I always thought that the North Pole was a whole village of people, not just a scattered handful. No one has seen them. They must be very happy if they're willing to do the job each year, right?
[Before Matt even thinks of it seriously, he's speaking of Santa Claus as a real person.]
no subject
[ She bounces a little on the couch cushion in excitement. She likes reading the books. She's not very fast at it yet, but Matt helps her. ]
What are traditions? [ She knows about birthdays. She does not know if she has one. Or what it might be. She has not thought to ask.
She's enraptured by the talk of magic and elves and a village so far in the cold. She wonders if it is like the Eden in the comics. She has not asked about that either. ]
Yes. They must really like making things for everyone, too.
no subject
Traditions are... beliefs or acts that you carry on and repeat out of enjoyment or reverence. Like how Foggy will bring his baseball and bat to work during baseball season. Or when I pray---.[she's seen him do it and there are more reasons to pray these days for strength, for patience, for being the best person and for Laura]. Some are serious, some aren't.
[Basic concept seems and feels vague. Matty thinks a second.] So for Christmas let's say people like to go door to door singing one day and ice skating another day. You don't have to do both of them or any of them. They are just practices that people do during the holiday season.
[Yeah, they're gonna need books. This is so much bigger than a conversation.]
And it's the giving that's important. Not what it is. Because it's so cold and there are so many good things around, we should try and share it with people who are less fortunate. That way we all can be like Santa Claus.
no subject
I like it when he does that. Sometimes we play catch. [ And she's also seen Matt pray. She does not fully understand it, but it is important to him. ]
Can we try some of these things together? [ She wants to know what they sing. And what ice skating is. ]
Like the man in the park? When we shared our hot dogs and soda?
no subject
I enjoy it too.
[Foggy turns into a little kid at the drop of a hat as it is. Baseball is just one of those things they mutually latch onto. Explaining a sport is easier than explaining a religion. That's just the facts.]
Sure we can. There are many more too. Like making cookies, making a snow man. Decorating the apartment.
[It takes Matt a moment before he remembers.]
Yes. Like that.
no subject
Decorating the apartment? Like with the lights and shiny things?!
[ Oh, you've done it now, Murdock. She's sitting up on her knees on the couch, and bouncing a little. ]
And the cookies!
no subject
We can, if that's what you want.
[That's what she wants. He knows it.]
Tell you what, we will make a list.
no subject
We can both write the list?
[ Since his would need to be with the little dots she doesn't know yet. She's learning to write as well but it is not as good as her ability to ready. ]
no subject
[And now there is so very, very much to do. Matt hasn't had a busy Christmas season outside of what's on the street or in the office. This kind of busy hasn't been in his life since--well, maybe it never quite was. St. Agnes had it's times, and Jack provided to the best of his ability.
Matt understands that pressure that adults have now. Christmas is supposed to be special. And this would be Laura's first time participating. As Foggy says "go big or go home".]