Stones Cry Out

I'm not sure that "should" is quite the right word. Rather, we have allowed our children to believe in Santa Claus. However, and they will each tell you this too, we have focused their attention on the Birth of Jesus as the reason for the season. So, they continue to believe in Santa, but are having a growing awareness of the specialness of Christmas (and Easter). I don't believe it will shake their epistemological foundations regarding religion. Indeed, it could spark an even deeper conversation about the difference between the historical story of Christ and the legend of Santa Claus.

There are naturally two answers to this question.
1. yes or 2. no
My wife and I do tell our children about Santa Claus but we do not include him in our Christmas celebration. We feel that he crowds out the true reason for celebrating Christmas, that is the birth of Jesus the Christ (savior).
Obviosly some Christians include him in their Christmas and that is their choice and not necessarily a wrong one. I/we don't think that Santa as all knowing, present worldwide in one night and all the other fairy tale part is the right approach. Santa's history explained and children informed as to why he is a part of Christmas is a sound decision.

Yes, you should tell your children about Santa Clause. Tell them the truth. I'm all for fiction like Lewis or Tolkien or even the story of Saint Nick/Santa Clause. However, I never saw the value in fooling my children into believing a myth is actually real and seeing how long I could perpetuate the lie. Christmas has always been just as exciting and joyful for our children as any others, or perhaps more, without the nonsense. Santa does not add, but detracts from the reason for the season. I think if culture told children that Aslan was real to the point it detracted from Christ's birth, Lewis would tell us to stop it and give God the honor he is due.

"Should you tell your children about Santa Claus?"

What? I should wait until Madison Avenue does it first?

I'm with Bruce. My wife and I raised four kids and started out by telling them that Santa Claus is a pretend thing people do at Christmas time, but the real truth about Christmas is about Jesus being born. They have all thanked their mom and dad for doing this. We did caution them not to spoil it for their friends and classmates and as far as I know they never spilled the beans.

One time while my wife was out Christmas shopping with my oldest, who was four, a grandmotherly-type woman approached and asked my son, who I must admit was the cutest kid in the world, what he had asked Santa for. My son looked at the woman for a second with a quizzical look, then stated, "There isn't really a Santa Claus. Didn't anyone tell you?"