Signs of Santa

We've never taught our kids to believe in Santa, largely, most likely, because neither of us were as kids. Also, I never wanted my kids to grow up believing in him because I told them it was true, and find out at some point that I'd been lying to them all those years, thus leaving it a possibility in their minds that I could be lying about other things. That may be over-thinking it, but that's the thought process none the less.

Anyway, this year Smith was bringing up conversations about Santa Claus a lot. Things like, "I wonder if Santa really could be real. There are reasons why he may be and reasons why he may not be." "What are some of the reasons he may not be?" said I. "Well, there is never any soot outside of the fireplace and all of the presents are wrapped in the same paper that we have downstairs and there is never any sounds on the roof... (etc. etc.)" "How about reasons he might be real?" "Well, ... he,... sometimes..." After a time it was clear he couldn't think of any. But oh, how he longed to have a reason to believe.

And when we got home from Christmas at my parents on Christmas day, there sat a present for each child on the fireplace, wrapped in unrecognizable paper, causing all kinds of glee and thrill that maybe Santa is real!!