Yes, Virginia...

[autographedcat]

"Besides, to believe in Santa Claus is to believe in magic. The belief in magic in many respects is a pernicious thing. Because of it you've got countless multitudes thinking that aliens abduct people, that Elvis is alive, that you can earn big money stuffing envelopes in your home, and that the TV preacher can cure you if you send him 50 bucks. A certain class of persons, of whom your columnist is one, will go through their lives attempting to extinguish these foolish hopes. No doubt in the main it is good that we do so. But even the sternest among us remembers the wonder we felt as children to think there was a force having a kindly interest in us that wasn't bound by the rules of this drab world. Wherefore if there's someone who's going to say flat out that Santa Claus doesn't exist, it's not going to be me."
--Cecil Adams, The Straight Dope

Comments

[aiela.livejournal.com]

Brittany, age 9 in 10 days, asked me last week if it was true that there was no Santa Claus, and that parents bought the gifts.

I looked at her and said "What do you think?" She said "I think it's Santa" and dropped the subject, convinced.

This is probably the last Christmas she'll believe. I am pretty convinced she'll figure out that "Santa" at my family party this Christmas Eve is my Uncle Brian - she's already suspicious, and all.