No, trust me...there is NO Santa Claus

Some parents go to great lengths to convince their children Santa Claus visits them every year. They wake up in the middle of the night, ring bells, eat cookies, sprinkle fake snow around their feet, and some even dress up like the jolly old elf.

I have told my children since they were old enough to understand that Santa Claus is not real. And yet...they don't believe me.

Here are some converstations that occured last week:

The Thinker: "Mom, did you know that there really was a man named Saint Nick? He used to work in a toy shop"

Me: "Well, you're right that he was a real man but he didn't work in a toy shop. There was a poor man in his town and so one night Saint Nick left some money on his doorstep...(insert rest of story in which the boys completely tuned out)...but that's nothing like what people think Santa Claus is today"

The Thinker: "Why are you being disrepectful to Saint Nick?"

Same Day...

The Reader: "Mom, can I have this little notebook?"

Me: "Not today but maybe I can put it in your stocking"

The Reader: " MOM! I wanted it to be a surprise who puts stuff in my stocking!"

Five Minutes Later...

The Thinker: "Mom, can we put out milk and cookies for Santa again this year?"

Me (thinking we solved this problem last year): "We'll see"

The Reader: "And this time tell Daddy NOT to eat the cookies."

A Couple of Nights Later...

Me: "Now, remember, your friends at school think that Santa is real so don't ruin their Christmas by telling them he is not, that's our little secret, okay?"

The Thinker: "But Mom, he IS real!"

I give up.