So, Phew!  For one more year, I don't have to worry about Santa Claus!  Each year, I wonder what stories my kids will bring home.  I don't want to test their maturity too soon, by letting them know the whole deal.  But, I also can't lie to them about this very important thing!  So, how can I be honest with them while still not giving them ammunition to ruin another kid's Christmas?

Well, this year, it's still easy!  At daycare, there *was* Santa.  That's it.  That's all there is to it!  This guy who was Generally Accepted As Santa, gave them presents.  Nevermind that Zachary *watched* me wrap a present which Santa then passed off to another kid the next morning.  That's totally irrelevant.  The facts remain that Santa gave them each a present, generating the all-important "correct response" to the question, "What did Santa give you this year!?".  A response that will not cause any other children to question the existence of Santa, and yet will not cause *our* children to dive head-first into belief in a supernatural gift-giver who, strangely enough, only gives expensive gifts to rich kids while a third of the planet does not have enough safe water to drink.  I don't want my kids to believe in Santa.  But, I also don't want them to ruin another family's special beliefs and fun.  So, a guy who shows up at daycare in a red suit and hugs them all (the director's husband) is a perfect compromise for me.

And, I must say, even though he was not at all convincing to an adult, *this* Santa was 100% genuine in spirit.  He really enjoyed being a Santa. He probably knows all the kids secondhand from Mrs. Claus' stories! And, that is a very important lesson of Christmastime.

Funny remark from Zachary last Thursday evening:

Michael told Zachary he was looking for bugs in his computer code.  Zachary replied that the bugs should be taken outside.