We knew that teaching fictional caracters as real was proven to be a stumbling block as far as kids understanding that God is really and truely real. From the start we talked about Santa as Saint Nick who lived a long time ago and all the things he really did do because he loved God. We then talked about how just like many stories that grow bigger and bigger as they get told so have stories of St Nick and all he can do and so on. One day while in a store an elderly frail white haired woman teetered over and said to our son who was not much more then 3 -" Aren't you excited, it's almost Christmas. Do you think Santa will bring you everything you asked for." Before I set the stage our son blurted out-" Santa is dead." The woman gasped teetered, grabbed her chest and looked at me in horror. Fast as I could I explianed what was meant by his statement. She walked away shaking her head. So for those of you who want to know about Santa-just ask my kids they don't mince words (we have worked on tempering them though so no one has a heart attack).