“Milo, we’re going to meet Santa today. What are you going to tell him you want for Christmas?”

Milo furrowed his brow as his 3-year-old brain worked on the question.

Then, in a tiny but confident voice, he said,

“I want gifts AND presents.”

And sure enough, that’s exactly what Santa brought him. On Christmas morning he was overjoyed by a handful of fun new books and toys.

The biggest hit of all was a set of four 24-piece puzzles that Santa got on a whim 1 week before Christmas, on sale for just $8.

It was a surprise to me and my wife. Sure, he loves puzzles. But more than these fancy gifts we planned for months? More than the toys he’s been specifically asking (whining) for?

“Daddy, sit!”

It was a command, not a question. I sit down next to my toddler on the hardwood floor as he slides one of the puzzles over to me.

“You do this one.”

As a parent you learn to accept your fate. It’s his job to ask ‘why’, it’s my job to obey.

“Sure, bud.”

We both dumped our puzzles out and started working. I’m building a scene of cartoon dinosaurs. He’s building a collection of vehicles.

After 20 seconds he looks at my puzzle and excitedly shouts,

“Wow! You’re really good at that Daddy.”

I slowed down after that, matching my speed to his, so that he could finish his final piece just before me.

“Daddy, look!”

“That’s awesome, dude! You did it!”

He’s beaming.

“Again!”

And so, that’s what we did. For the entirety of Christmas week and into the New Year.

It turns out, Milo got exactly what he asked for: gifts and presence.

Really, isn’t that what we’re all looking for? Someone to make us feel heard, understood, and valued. To sit with us, be there, focused on the moment we’re sharing together with intention.

May you get gifts and presence this year, and give them to others.

Happy New Year.