The Unexpected Elements of Christmas

Tonight at dinner, Meagan decided to entertain us all with a song she has been learning at pre-school. The lyrics are 'The Virgin Mary had a baby boy...' Something like that.

So she sang it for us. Only she sang, 'the berginary had a baby boy.'

"What's a berginary?" Isaac asked (and for good reason... what IS a berginary?)

So I explained that the actual words are, 'The Virgin Mary.'

Pause................

"Then what's a virgin?" Sebastian asked.

Yeah. Sorta saw that coming, but was hoping it would go unnoticed... I should have known better.

How to explain without offering too much detail??? "It's a girl who is not married who has never been with a boy in a way that could make a baby." (Praying for no follow-up questions... but I'm thinking non-fiction, informational, Discovery Channel-ish stuff... maybe? Please please please don't ask any more questions, LOL)

Whew! He went a different direction. "Then Meagan is a virgin!"

"Yes she is."

"But I'm not, because I'm not a girl."

"Oh. Um. Well, it is for boys and girls... I just said girl because Mary was a girl."

"Do you remember Hank?" (Hank is Grandpa's friend... where on EARTH did that come from?!)

"Yes, I remember Hank. What about him?"

(This is still Sebastian, by the way) "Well, when I was little, he wasn't married, so I think he is a virgin too. Unless he got married since then."

Hmmm... does this kid's mind EVER stop?!

"Well, honey, Hank has kids, so.... "

"Oh, then I guess he's not one."

Finally, end of that topic. It switched from there to "I think Mary was married to God" (Isaac), to which Sebastian explained that she was married to Joseph and that God isn't married... etc etc. Goodness, these are the elements of the Christmas story that you just don't think about, ya know?!