Should We still let children believe in Santa Claus?

It can be nice to feel like part of a giant global movement, united in the act of lying to children.

- Jeremy Au Yong

It's December, and in my household that means it is time for the time-honoured tradition of lying to my six-year-old.

OK, yes, you caught me. I do not lie to him only in December. I lie to him all year round. It is just that I lie to him MORE in December.

But it's not my fault. A fat man in a red suit made me do it.

The overwhelming majority of the lies I tell this boy in December revolve around Santa Claus and associated operations. When he was younger, Iwas able to keep the lies fairly vague and big picture. You know, just the key concepts: There is a magical man who lives in the North Pole and rides a sleigh who brings nice children presents on Christmas Eve.

However, as he grew up (my son, not Santa - one of the key Santa concepts is that he doesn't age), the questions and follow-ups have become more pointed. And as such, the web of deceit I am weaving is becoming increasingly intricate.

Iust this week, I had to inform my son that, in some specific circumstances, Santa does have the ability to tap into a network of suppliers, but only for extremely well-behaved kids and with a rather firm price cap on wishes.

I landed in this quandary accidentally, while trying to assure the pre-schooler that Santa would be able to give him the very specific toy train set he wants, which fits in with the existing set he has, just so long as he does not fall on the wrong side of the naughty-nice line.

He has spent some weeks now worried that Santa's elves will not be able to make him the correct one. Showing him videos of Santa's workshop has not exactly helped, as he noted correctly that all the toys being made appear to be simple wooden ones that are quite unlike the plastic battery-operated gift his heart desires.