Last night when tucking Claire into bed, she sheepishly told me she had a question.  “I heard from Harper and some other kids that maybe Santa Clause gets help from parents.  Is that true?”  I said with a smile, “That’s a secret, I can’t say a word.”  Claire said, “I knew it!  You do help!  It’s a secret!  That means you do help! ”  Claire was smiling ear to ear and was very excited.

I was a little confused at this point.  Why was she so happy and excited?  Isn’t it sort of a let down if the parents “help”?  Then Claire cleared it up.  She asked, “What is Santa like?  Is he nice?  How exactly do you help him?”

I stuck by my vow of secrecy.  Claire had one last question.  “Who decides if the kids are naughty or nice?  Is that Santa or the parents?”

This coming Christmas may be interesting.