Santa Claus is a big part of many American children’s lives. Along with the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns and the Tooth Fairy, Santa is a fanciful part of growing up. He is kind and delightfully pudgy. Sitting on his lap and talking to him was one of my favorite things during Christmas.

Sadly, Santa is not real. It is something that all Santa-believing children learn eventually.

The fact that Santa and the other mythical creatures are a lie told to kids by their parents brings up some controversy in society. Is it morally right to tell our children that Santa is real?

Some say it is wrong because as trustworthy figures, parents should not tell their children lies. They say parents ruin the trust built by their bond with their kids, leading to a sense of mistrust and betrayal between child and parent.

Really? I never felt that my parents had betrayed me when I was told Santa wasn’t real. I was sad, but not because my parents lied to me. Rather, it was because of my disappointment that the jolly, fat man wasn’t real.

It breaks my heart to hear of little kids who go to school with the bliss of Santa beliefs, and have them crushed by some mean older child who feels like ruining the younger child’s dreams.

Many times this happens because the older children think it is juvenile to believe in imaginary figures. Is that really so bad? I have never heard of a child’s life being ruined because of their continued belief in Santa Claus.

Honestly, I wish that I still believed in Santa. He is just such a fun part of Christmas. I love the thought that he knows me and what I want for Christmas. He is a wonderful, nice grandpa sort of guy.

So, let us let the Santa belief live. No harm will come to the younger generation from their belief. And, as we all know, when kids stop believing in Santa, he loses his magic.