This Christmas feels a lot different from past Christmases. For one thing, our elf, Snoopy, has decided that this is the last year that he needs to police the kids’ behavior. Apparently, he is of the opinion that by the time you reach middle school, you should have developed enough of your own conscience and you shouldn’t need a daily reminder that Santa is watching. At least that’s his story, and he’s sticking to it.

I suspect that his decision may also be because Duncan managed to reach one of his hiding places and he had a harrowing few minutes of being held captive in Dunc’s impressive dentition as he ran around the house, stubbornly refusing to obey the “leave it” command.

It should be noted that dogs do not seem to care if the North Pole gets a bad report. Duncan also managed to sneak into the car while I was unloading groceries and discovered the bag of Christmas presents that I had also picked up for him and Henson. Of course, I was too distracted by the muddy footprints all over the interior of my vehicle to notice that he dragged his brand-new gingerbread squeaky toys through the mud and into the house. At least he didn’t binge on the entire bag of doggy treats that were in the same bag. Henson is still just a little too short to jump up into the back of my SUV, or I have a feeling that there would be no surprises left for canine Christmas.

At any rate, for as much aggravation as Snoopy has caused over the years, I am a little bit sad to see him go. He’s definitely ready for retirement, or at least a little R&R, as he hasn’t put much effort into finding new hiding places this year. I guess he has a lot in common with me, as he’s gotten older, he doesn’t care so much for appearances, as he does for finding what is comfortable and sticking with it.

He hung out in a cozy spot over the wood stove for about a week, and spent another few days cradled in some taxidermy. After another week of riding around the ceiling fan, he’s heading back to the North Pole for good.

Another change this year has been the kids’ Christmas lists. This is the first year that there isn’t a single toy on the list. It seems like we are done with Santa’s elves in more ways than one. Sure, there are some electronic items, a few clothes requests, and some other odds and ends that they know better than to ask Mom and Dad for, but there has been a noticeable shift in where their interests lie.

I chalk a little bit of this up to A having a real job for the first time, and on the one hand, being able to purchase most of his own immediate wants, but also having a real idea how much things cost now and being a lot more judicious about his requests. G was never big on lists to begin with, usually focusing on just one or two big-ticket items. E has started to transition into the hair/clothes/accessories age, so her list still has some pretty fun items on it, but they’re different from her previous lists that included American Girl dolls and all their fun gadgets.

In fact, I distinctly remember the day back in November when she started crafting her list, and she announced that she had little interest in her dolls anymore, and she didn’t think she would be asking Santa for the girl of the year doll this year.

I don’t know if it’s a boy/girl thing or a baby of the family thing or just the way things are, but the move to middle school has really had an impact on her. With the boys, there was little fanfare or change: school was still school. But with E, middle school has brought an acute awareness of trends, friend groups, and a host of new activities. It’s a lot at one time, and there have been times it has been a struggle.

The other night, as I helped her do her hair for the band’s annual Christmas party, and she pulled on tights and high heels, as her old dolls watched from the corner they’ve been relegated to, I was acutely aware of the new direction that we’re moving in, and the tears in my eyes weren’t just because of how pretty my little girl looked all dressed up.

This is the first year that all three of them dressed up and headed out to the Christmas party, leaving the WH and I home alone to stare at the clock and wonder if they were having fun. Of course, they were, and of course they weren’t giving old mom and dad a second thought.

It’s not all necessarily emotional or heart wrenching, although it’s easy to get caught up in the sentimentality of it all. Having three able bodies to truck all the decoration boxes up and down the steps is a plus. The last time Santa left a trip to Disney under the tree, two out of three of them ended up crying because it didn’t make much sense to them. This year, Santa revealed their present a little bit early, and they’re eagerly looking forward to February. Evenings when we take the long way home, just to look at some of the Christmas lights, have become an enjoyable tradition, if a little bit argumentative. I am finally getting some help with the Christmas cookie baking, beyond just having taste testers.

Christmas is changing, for sure, but it isn’t becoming any less enjoyable. Watching the kids pick out thoughtful gifts for their friends and family members shows me that they’ve learned all about the magic of Christmas over the years, and they know how important it is to share it. Whatever stage of life your Christmas is in, I hope it’s a happy and healthy one.

Liz Pinkey is a contributing writer to the Times News. Her column appears weekly in our Saturday feature section.