** Alert ** Sensitive Santa Info ** Cover Innocent Eyes **

Today I took The Girl to the post office to mail her letter to Santa. There is a special mailbox there just for him and children who give their return address will receive a personal reply.

We have the most awesome Postmaster on God's green earth. {Whoot Whoot, Lori!}

But here's the thing. I'm still thinking my 7th Grade boy is hangin' on to St. Nick. Just last year he said, "Mom. I can see where the tooth fairy could be you and dad. But, there's just no way that parents could hide all those presents from kids and them just appear on Christmas morning."

Is that not the most darlin' thing you've ever heard? He's such an innocent.

Even so, I'm thinking it's time we had The Talk. No, not THAT talk even though Luke took care of that a few months back. I still find it hilarious the kid knows about the birds n bees but not Santa. Luke didn't think he could take that much trauma in one day.

So here's my question: When did y'all break the news to your kids? Did you even have to? My 9-year-old is a wise guy and figured it out a long time ago so there was really no need to discuss with him. It's time to confirm it for the 7th grader though before he gets embarrassed in front of his friends, don't you think?

Let me also say I realize this can be a hot topic and not everyone does the whole Santa thing. This post is meant to be light and not a deep theological debate on whether we ever should have let them believe to begin with. We love Jesus. He's number One. He doesn't get lost in our Holidays. The kids know He is REAL. This post is merely intended to have fun with this rite of passage that most of our kids face when it's time to give up the Man in Red.

Before I go, I have to tell you one thing we told the kids to explain why some get huge amounts of toys and others don't. We told them we have to pay Santa. Yep. Santa gives parents a bill. Isn't that so lame? Lame or not, the kids understand they have a poor Santa so they don't get broken-hearted when they don't get a new 4-wheeler or a pony. If I had it all to do over, I would definitely tell the kids they only get three gifts because Jesus only got three. Granted His were worth a fortune, but I've always concluded His family had to use that cash to finance the flight to Egypt.

Which makes me feel a little better about the $20 I borrowed from my 6 year old yesterday.

I can't believe I just told y'all that.

So I'd be really interested to hear your Christmas quirks. Do you have weird things you've told your kids? Were they still normal when they learned the truth? How did you find out as a child? Are you still traumatized today?

This ought to be interesting...:)