---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is something about Christmas that…"
description: "\"“There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays. When I was ti..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg"
---

#  There is something about Christmas that requires a rug…

![“There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays. When I was tiny we would by a real tree and stay up late drinking hot chocolate and finding just the right place for the special decorations. It seems like my…” quote by Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg)

> ““There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays. When I was tiny we would by a real tree and stay up late drinking hot chocolate and finding just the right place for the special decorations. It seems like my parents gave up the magic when I figured out the Santa lie. Maybe I shouldn't have told them I knew where the presents really came from. It broke their hearts. I bet they'd be divorced by now if I hadn't been born. I'm sure I was a huge disappointment. I'm not pretty or smart or athletic. I'm just like them- an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies. I can't believe we have to keep playacting till I graduate. It's a shame we just can't admit that we have failed at family living, sell the house, split up the money, and get on with our lives. Merry Christmas.””

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator reflects on lost childhood wonder, family disappointment, and the pressure to maintain appearances despite personal insecurities.

**In simple terms:** Feeling of lost magic and family failure.

Key Takeaway

Accept imperfections and seek authentic connections.

Themes

family identity disappointment holiday selfesteem

Mood

melancholic reflective hopeful

Type

personal reflective emotional

When to use this quote

- family gatherings
- holiday planning
- personal therapy
- reconciliation
- career counseling

Key Concepts

nostalgia illusion social expectation selfimage

Questions to Reflect On

- How does nostalgia shape your view of family?
- What steps can you take toward authentic relationships?

A Different Perspective

The narrative may overgeneralize personal pain as universal.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) [Hot chocolate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-chocolate/) [Secrets And Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets-and-lies/)

## Related quotes

> [There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little-2/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little-4/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little-3/)

[Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/)

> [“I can't believe we have to keep playacting until I graduate. It's a shame we can't just admit that we have failed family living,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-can-t-believe-we-have-to-keep-playacting-until-i-graduate-it-s-a/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“I bet they’d be divorced by now if I hadn’t been born. I’m sure I was a huge disappointment. I’m not pretty or smart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-bet-they-d-be-divorced-by-now-if-i-hadn-t-been-born-i-m-sure-i-was/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [It's a shame we can't just admit that we failed family living, sell the house, split up the money, and get on with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/it-s-a-shame-we-can-t-just-admit-that-we-failed-family-living-sell/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I spent my summers bottling peaches and my winters rotating supplies. When the World of Men failed, my family would continue on, unaffected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-spent-my-summers-bottling-peaches-and-my-winters-rotating-supplies/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [Christmas is always the most fun. I start looking forward to Christmas before it's even summertime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/christmas-is-always-the-most-fun-i-start-looking-forward-to-christmas/)

[Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/)

> [Christmas is fun anyway. It's a myth organized over the years and gained different mythological qualities as the years go by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/christmas-is-fun-anyway-it-s-a-myth-organized-over-the-years-and/)

[William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/)

> [People are so nice to each other on holidays...especially at Christmas. Why don't people beat up each other at Christmas? Now that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-nomi/people-are-so-nice-to-each-other-on-holidays-especially-at-christmas/)

[Klaus Nomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-nomi/)

> [“Thank you," he says. "Thank who?" "I don't know. You?" "No, not me. Jesus ." "Thank you, Jesus?" "Yes, Toph, Jesus died for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/thank-you-he-says-thank-who-i-don-t-know-you-no-not-me-jesus-thank/)

[Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/)

> [To make the most of a Christmas track, you have to plan months and months in advance to release it or really do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-cyrus/to-make-the-most-of-a-christmas-track-you-have-to-plan-months-and/)

[Brandi Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-cyrus/)

> [We can with confidence set a goal to make this Christmas brighter than the last and each year that follows brighter still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/we-can-with-confidence-set-a-goal-to-make-this-christmas-brighter-2/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [The small things that make Christmas magical are the things children will remember. It doesn't matter what they open on Christmas morning, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/the-small-things-that-make-christmas-magical-are-the-things-children/)

[Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/)

> [To make the most of Christmas, focus on Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/to-make-the-most-of-christmas-focus-on-christ/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

## More by Laurie Halse Anderson

> [“The word ghost sounds like memory. The word therapy means exorcism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-word-ghost-sounds-like-memory-the-word-therapy-means-exorcism/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“I have this halfway place, a rest stop on the road to sleep, where I can stay for hours. I don't even need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-have-this-halfway-place-a-rest-stop-on-the-road-to-sleep-where-i/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I can see us, living in the woods, her wearing that A, me with a S maybe, S for silent, S for stupid, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-can-see-us-living-in-the-woods-her-wearing-that-a-me-with-a-s-maybe/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Eating plain toast will detonate her. "I'll have some honey." When the bread is done I scrape on a microscopic layer of it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/eating-plain-toast-will-detonate-her-i-ll-have-some-honey-when-the/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Cutting pain was a different flavor of hurt. It made it easier not to think about having my body and my family and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/cutting-pain-was-a-different-flavor-of-hurt-it-made-it-easier-not-to/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I am learning how to be angry and sad and lonely and joyful and excited and afraid and happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-learning-how-to-be-angry-and-sad-and-lonely-and-joyful-and/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/leaning-against-my-father-the-sadness-finally-broke-open-inside-me/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I like cheeseburgers too much to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-like-cheeseburgers-too-much-to-be-a-model/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I am getting better at smiling when people expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-getting-better-at-smiling-when-people-expect-it/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/all-that-crap-you-hear-on-tv-about-communication-and-expressing/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-doubt-trees-are-ever-told-to-be-the-screwed-up-ninth-grader/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“It was the most eloquent silence I ever heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/it-was-the-most-eloquent-silence-i-ever-heard/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I've dealt with depression my entire life, on and off, which makes me the perfect author for teenage readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-ve-dealt-with-depression-my-entire-life-on-and-off-which-makes-me/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“What did it feel like to die? Was it a peaceful sleep? Some thought it was full of either trumpet-blowing angels or angry devils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/what-did-it-feel-like-to-die-was-it-a-peaceful-sleep-some-thought-it/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

[Explore all 437 Laurie Halse Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

## More Christmas quotes

> [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/)

[Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/)

> [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/)

[Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/)

> [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/)

[Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/)

> [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/)

[Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/)

[Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if could rent one for the holidays. When I was tiny we would by a real tree and stay up late drinking hot chocolate and finding just the right place for the special decorations. It seems like my parents gave up the magic when I figured out the Santa lie. Maybe I shouldn't have told them I knew where the presents really came from. It broke their hearts. I bet they'd be divorced by now if I hadn't been born. I'm sure I was a huge disappointment. I'm not pretty or smart or athletic. I'm just like them- an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies. I can't believe we have to keep playacting till I graduate. It's a shame we just can't admit that we have failed at family living, sell the house, split up the money, and get on with our lives. Merry Christmas.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Laurie Halse Anderson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christmas"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/laurie-halse-anderson-623_christmas_there-is-something-about-christmas-that_300363.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There is something about Christmas that requires a rug rat. Little kids make Christmas fun. I wonder if…” — Laurie Halse Anderson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Laurie Halse Anderson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There is something about Christmas that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/there-is-something-about-christmas-that-requires-a-rug-rat-little/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
