Santa Claus, Sinter Klaas, Father Christmas, La Befana, Papa Noel, Los Reyes, whatever the spirit of fun is called, I love the fun and excitement of Christmas.

Do I teach that any of these gift bearing personages are real? No. Not to my own children when they were tots, nor to the classes that I teach today.

Do I teach history regarding them? You betcha.

Below is a portion of an email I sent to a friend regarding how I personally regard Father Christmas, et al.

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Personally, I never taught my own children that Santa Claus or Sinter Klaas was real. Part of our heritage is Dutch, on Dec 5 we did put our klompen by the door with a carrot for Sinter Klaas' horse, and we received a small toy and some chocolates.

Then we put up a tree and on Dec 24 we opened tree gifts... these were from family and friends.

In the morning, break of dawn, on Dec 25 we opened our stockings and our 'Santa' gift.

My boys always knew that Santa or whatever he/she is called in the country where we live is the fun of Christmas but is not a true living being.
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I decided that as a young teacher before I had even married or had a child; that I would not teach my children that Santa is a real and living being.

This notion was formed when many little kids came to school and as they listened to the long list recounted regarding goodies received by others while they had received only one small gift; they were confused.

And, they came to me during recess to ask tearfully "teacher, why does Santa love xyz more than me. I have been a really good little boy/girl and all I got was a puzzle and he/she got lots and lots of toys and things."

I didn't have an answer for them, and I knew then I didn't want my own children to think that Santa picks and chooses whom to love the best.

My own kids picked out their -Santa- gift from a Sears and Roebuck catalogue, the gift was under the tree on Christmas morning, we called it then and now, -our Santa gift- and the unspoken is that mama bought it.

When son J was 3 years old we went to the shopping mall. -Santa- was there, kids lined up to visit with him and get their candy cane. He asked each child, 'and what do you want little boy/girl?'

J said I WANT MY LITTLE TRAIN. Santa looked at me, I nodded, Santa said brightly, 'yes little boy you may expect your train.

Speaking the primal scream of a tot; J said as only a 3 year old can:

I KNOW, OF COURSE IT WILL BE THERE, WE ORDERED IT FROM THE CATALOGUE.

It was a priceless moment! Poor Santa, what a look on his face.

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In our family our tree was left up until 12th night. We began moving The Three Kings across the dining room, the mantle and to the creche set up on the far end of the mantle on Christmas day.

On 12th night The Kings arrived, down came the tree, my kids received a last little gift, sang Happy Birthday dear Jesus and we finished up the season eating the special 'Christmas ice cream balls we got from the store in California.'

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For us; this was a plan that worked. My kids had fun for Christmas, did not have any illusion that Santa was a real entity nor did they feel that I had misled them.

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As a young woman, I remember listening to a minister talking about Santa and the fact that children do come to an understanding that their parents have in reality been lying to them about Santa. The unspoken then becomes, 'and what else have you lied to me about?'

I didn't want my kids asking that question.

I didn't ask my own parents, but I do remember thinking, 'you lied to me, now what else do you lie about.'

I will say: My sisters' and I actually had greater fun with -Santa- when we three realized that he was not a real living person, and WE began buying one another -Santa- gifts, hid them in the stockings and waited for our siblings to find them.

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