Oh, Christmas. I look forward to having smart kids. I also don't like lying to my kids – I'm bad at it. So Christmas the whole Santa Claus thing is going to prove interesting. As the years go by and various events come and go, we're forming our own set of rules that explain how Santa does what he does:

• "How come Santa brought me some stuff that's not on my list, but he didn't bring me some things that are on my list?" Got that question last year. Answer – because Santa always brings three things – *some* stuff from your list, *some* stuff you *need*, and some stuff he *thinks* you might like. This seems to have gone over very well, to the point where my daughter spotted a toy on tv the other day and told me, "Even though I already mailed my list, maybe Santa will think I'd like that."
• "That lady is not Mrs. Claus, you can see the wig." Just happened this weekend, as our daughter almost ruined the fun for her little friends at a tea party. Answer – You know, you might be right, it might be somebody in a wig. But I'll tell you a secret? Sometimes it's the *real* one. They come down in disguise and hang out sometimes too, you know. You didn't? Oh, absolutely, that's part of the fun. You just never know.
• "The kids at school say they don't believe in Santa Claus and they still get presents." Answer – Well, sure, you get *some* presents from your Mom and Dad and friends and relatives. But you don't get Santa presents, now do you? That's how Santa does so many houses in one night, he gets to skip the houses of kids who say they don't believe in him.
• This one is not mine, but have you heard that the new thing is to put the milk and cookies in a "to go" bag for Santa? Helps him keep in schedule, you see – he eats them on the way to the next house.

It should be fun watching as the rules change over the years. With a 5, 3 and 1.5 yr old they'll all be at different stages of believing as time goes by and we'll be able to enlist the older ones in helping the younger ones.