The Dilemna

Since James was born, Christmas has been....hectic. The last thing on our minds has been decorating, etc because then we'd just have to clean it up and I have a hard enough time of that on a regular basis. We do a lot of living day by day around here. We also go to TX every year, so we don't want to put up a huge, live tree that will catch fire on our baseboard heaters while we're gone. Nobody wants to be that person. Don't get me wrong, we do presents, we have a small tree and our nativity scene and sing Christmas carols.
In addition to this, James has never had quite the right frame of mind for Santa. He didn't really understand conceptual things, and really, what's more conceptual than Santa? This is the first year he's sort of understood that Christmas happens on a certain day in the future. Time has been a tough concept to get too. So anyway, we just have never even thought about doing a whole Santa thing. And I don't think that's bad, because instead we talk about Jesus's birthday, which is actually what Christmas is. Also (disclaimer) I don't think your children will be damaged either way. Yada yada. BUT, at school, around other people, reading stories, everyone asks about Santa, and pretty much the kid has never even heard of him! Lol! I think strangers think I'm a mean mom without knowing the whole story.
Now with Eve I suppose we have an opportunity for a fresh start in that department, or we just decide that that ship has sailed. I think we've chosen the latter.
What I'm really trying to say here is: if your kids believe in Santa, and you'd like it to stay that way, I caution you against discussing it with my kids. They're gonna out you.

Rudolph, however...totally real.