"Daddy, is there a Santa Claus?"

When Little Wombat was four, she once asked me if Santa exists. l was caught off-guard by the question, for she is our first child. No one ever ask me that before.

That was 10 years ago and I remember telling her stuff about the North Pole, elves, Rudolph, sleigh, chimneys and huge socks on the wall. Three years later she found out that it is otherwise.

Last week during a Duke Nukem deathmatch with my 4 year old son microWombie (at which l always lose), he suddenly asks : "Daddy, is there a Santa Claus?". My Duke took a RPG up the butt, distracted by this question.

I looked at him and thought of doing the stuff about North Pole, elves, Rudolph, sleigh, chimneys and huge socks on the wall again. But then 14 year old Little Wombat was staring at me to see if I will continue to lie through my teeth, like I did 10 years ago.

I thought about it for a moment, and told him about the North Pole, elves, Rudolph, sleigh, chimneys and huge socks on the wall. His sister sniggered. I shot her a glance which basically told her that she won't get her MP3 player if she as much as breath a word out. microWombie listened wlde eyed but still managed to put another RPG up my butt.

Ok, we all know there is no Santa Claus. It is just in a child's imagination. But why persist in telling a child there is one? It is because imagination is the only powerful thing a child can have and control. A 3 or 4 year old is basically helpless in terms of money, education and indepedence. With imagination, a kid can believe in something before he grows up and finds out that life is not really that okie dokey.

Imagination enables a child to develop his character, and the Santa story is a good start. Of course if a child starts to imagine that he is Hanibal Lector then we will have some serious issues.

Last Sunday we went to a childrens' party and at the end bit, a Santa Claus came and gave out presents. microWombie asked me why Santa is early this year. I told him that is not the real Santa. The real one comes at Christmas Eve while he is sleeping, but Santa hires temps to help out during the Chrlstmas season. His sister wanted to snigger but I shot her a glance which basically told her that I will take away her broadband connection if she did.

So it is Christmas again. Have a good holiday, go easy on the waist and if you drink, don't drive. Here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.