We all have Christmas memories.  

Some sweet.  Some bitter.  Some bittersweet.

My Christmas memories are both.

As I sit here looking at my Christmas tree and scant decor I managed to put out this year, I am reminded of the sweet.  

Beau was around 2 and a half years old… you know the stage where they are the CUTEST and soaking up the learning? 

At Christmas time, we loved reading holiday books together.  In particular, we both loved reading The Night Before Christmas.  

He would snuggle up on my lap and we would get lost in this cute book with its brilliant illustrations. 

At that time, I would point to the pictures on the page, and ask, “What is that?”  Such as a cat or a dog.  I would also ask, “What does the dog say?”  “What does the cat say?”  You know the drill.  

On this particular page, there were many objects … a cat, dog, lamp, clock, candles, dolls, chairs, stockings, … , and Santa’s pipe.  

So after asking what all the objects were, I pointed to the pipe in Santas mouth and asked, “What is that?”  Now why my almost three year old would know what a pipe was, I am not sure. I asked anyway.  

His response was not “pipe.”  

He responded in his innocent, toddler voice, “Snarfblatt.”  

This is the punchline, people.  Snarfblatt!  

If you don’t know what a snarfblatt is, this may be anticlimactic for you. And explaining it, may just be further anticlimactic.  

(I will give you a hint: it is a Little Mermaid reference.) 

Suffice it to say, I had a great laugh with my little boy that day as he snuggled on my lap, not knowing what a pipe is but certainly knowing the meaning of “Snarfblatt.” 

May peace fill your home and hearts this Christmas and may it bring you many sweet, Snarfblatt-like memories!!!!

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