I love Santa.  I think he's great.  I think that my son might not believe any more.  We don't really talk about him much.  I love some of the movies that have Santa in them:  Miracle on 34th St, Fred Claus, the Santa Claus movies, Elf.

We have a children's Christmas party at work and each year one of the guys volunteers to play Santa.  One year the guy who played Santa was moved to tears by a little girl who was not part of the party who came up to him and only wanted a hug from Santa for Christmas.

Three cheers for Santa, he's wonderful.  Not so wonderful if adults use him to teach the kids to be greedy, but I expect that is the minority.  As my children got bigger and no longer literally believed in a red suited man who came down every chimney in the world in a short space of time - they became Santa, bestowing pleasure on others.

A bit like there faith journeys.  First they believed in a male God figure who lived somewhere up in the sky.  As they grew and learned to think there imagining of God becames more metaphoric.  They realised that God and Love are much the same thing - and now they Love.

I still believe - in the spirit of Santa. I get to see that spirit all over the place. I see it when people of all ages give selflessly to another. I work for a charitable organization and recently a young boy came for a tour. He had recently had a birthday and instead of gifts, had asked people to donate money to our organization so that we could help children in need. Looking back, I saw the spirit of Santa in that young boy.

I don't like Santa and I don't believe in Santa.  I don't think that the spirit of Christmas needs to be associated with an old, travelling glutton.

It is one of the factors (for now) in my decision not to have kids.  Because I don't know how I could teach a child that he exists... and I don't think it's kind NOT TO considering the trouble they could get in with their peers.

It's something I struggle with.

Hilary, you wouldn't have to teach your kids that he exists.  At least we didn't.  We just didn't go out of our way to teach them that he didn't exist.  We didn't make a big to-do about Santa at our house.  We hung up our stockings - still do - and were delighted with the small gifts we received in them.  Bigger gifts were under the tree - from Mommy and Daddy, Aunt and cousin - the people they knew and loved.  We took them to the Santa Claus parade and they enjoyed the glitter and magic of all the floats.  They sat on Santa's knee at the mall and at the company Christmas party.  They watched TV.  When they were old enough to ask about it (son at about five, daughter a bit older) we spoke about the spirit of giving.  I think I might have used the word personification - Santa personifies the spirit of giving. 

I love Santa - a friendly, yes jolly, old man, dressed in a bright red suit (now who could believe that was reality), with fur trim and a white beard, who loves children and animals and tries to make everybody in the world happy one day of the year - and then disappears until next year. 

The first year I was president of the senior bowlers I had a friend who plays Santa and his wife Mrs. Claus visit our Christmas party.  The seniors were delighted as Mr. and Mrs. Claus walked among them and passed out candy canes.  One woman was surprised when Mrs. Claus called her by name but didn't recognize her from the weekly quilting group.   Santa helped distributed the gifts people had brought for the gift exchange, and thanked everybody for bringing something extra for the food bank (Mr. and Mrs. Santa's favourite charity, other than spreading good cheer).  You don't have to be a kid to believe in Santa and enjoy a visit.

thanks, Seeler.  That does make me feel better.