Parents Talk: Santa Claus

We're not even into December yet and I'm already wondering how much longer I can talk about the existence of Santa Claus.

If your kids are young enough to still believe, then you understand how easy it is to use him as the reason why they should be on their best behavior.

"Don't hit your sister, Santa is watching," "If you don't go to sleep, Santa won't come," and, "If you're naughty, you won't get anything for Christmas."

It's not like I'm the first parent to tell their kids about St. Nick. At our house, we perpetuate the story even further with an Elf on the Shelf. "Max" (our Elf) usually arrives the day after Thanksgiving to keep tabs on the kids and report back to Santa. I hate to admit it, but it works like a charm.

Yes, my kids know about the true meaning of Christmas, but the idea of a big guy dressed in a red suit, bringing presents to children everywhere, seems far more appealing right now.

So at what point do I tell my kids about "the real" Santa? Do I tell them or let them find out themselves?

Tell us your strategy for letting the kids down easy in the comments below.