Nutmeg Twinkletoes
Advice Columnist, “Dear Nutmeg”
Hello, gumdrop friends! It’s Nutmeg Twinkletoes, back at my cozy desk with a mug of cinnamon cocoa and a big stack of your letters. This week’s question made my heart go all soft and squishy, so I just had to answer it right away.
This week’s letter
“Dear Nutmeg, I had some grumpy days this year. I yelled at my little brother and I didn’t want to clean my room. Does that mean I’m not on the Nice List anymore?
Signed, Worried in Wisconsin”
Oh, my sweet friend. Come sit by the fire with me for a minute, because I have very good news.
Nobody Is Nice Every Single Day
Not you, not me, and not even the elves. (Last week Sparklefoot got so grumpy about a tangled ribbon that he stomped his curly shoes right through a pile of wrapping paper!) Santa knows that everybody has hard days. Feeling grumpy, sad, or frustrated doesn’t make you naughty. It makes you a person with big feelings, and big feelings are allowed.
What Santa Really Looks For
Santa’s Nice List isn’t a list of perfect children. It’s a list of children who keep trying. Here’s what he notices most:
- Saying sorry when you’ve hurt someone’s feelings.
- Trying again tomorrow, even after a rough day.
- Little kindnesses, like sharing a toy or helping without being asked.
- Being gentle with yourself when you make a mistake.
Santa’s Nice List isn’t a list of perfect children. It’s a list of children who keep trying.
Nutmeg Twinkletoes
A Little Something to Try Tonight
Here’s my favorite trick. Tonight at bedtime, tell a grown-up one kind thing you did today. It can be tiny! Holding the door. Petting the dog gently. Letting your brother pick the movie. Then go to sleep knowing a little sparkle just floated all the way up to the North Pole.
For grown-ups
A Nice List certificate from Santa is a wonderful way to celebrate a child who has been working hard on kindness, especially after a tricky year. It tells them, “Santa saw you trying.”
From the Bayside Christmas shop
Santa’s Nice List Certificate
An official certificate signed by Santa and mailed from the North Pole to the child who earned it.
So don’t you worry, Worried in Wisconsin. Santa has a very big heart and a very long memory for good things. Keep trying, keep being kind, and keep believing.
With gumdrops and good cheer,
Nutmeg Twinkletoes
Advice Columnist, The North Pole Times