naughty warning: i am venting

i promise i will be good after this....

are your kids asking a billion questions about santa this year?
this is my first year to have two children in public school, and let me tell you, those people HARD SELL those little trusting kids on santa.
i have seen two holiday concerts in the last two days and i feel like i am about to punch the first mall santa i see, in the face, and kick frosty in the snowballs.
and really, i have nothing against those fun guys in general....
it's just, i am starting to feel a bit sold short.

i love christmas.
i love being together and seeing the wonder in my children's eyes as we decorate and look at lights.
i LOVE sitting quietly and pondering in my heart, that christmas day represents the day that changed EVERYTHING.
the day that started the way my hero rescued me from pain and sorrow forever.
the day that my hope began.
the day that the One who made every single beautiful thing and who keeps my heart beating and keeps the stars in the sky and the blood flowing through my babies' veins, humbled Himself enough to restrict his powers, temporarily, and took on skin and bones and muscles and human breath.
when i really think about that, i kinda want to curl up into the fetal position and have a good cry.
a cry of gratefulness and relief.
this isn't it.
this life where, truth be told, i go through way too many days thinking about myself and my wants and "needs" instead of hoping and rejoicing in the prior mentioned truth.
this life where my children are pummeled with santa and frosty and goofy songs instead of being fed what they really need.
i want to teach them to go tell the truth on the mountain.....Jesus has come to save you from this life being "it"!
and somehow, despite all this dramatic truth, santa gets top billing everywhere we go!
i know you all know this and do your best to counteract it and give your kids a healthy take on santa, but i am just frustrated about all the effort it takes this year.
my boys are asking so. many. technical. questions. and i start to feel like i have to choose between fun and reality, do you?
there are so many fabrications that are easier to come up with than carefully(without stealing the joy and spirit) explaining to them the real deal.
i have had discussions with many of my good mommy friends. good moms.
and everyone one of them had a little different idea on the tricky line we walk.
i respect each persons ideas, but for me, for some reason, this year, more than ever before, i want NO MORE things that are just plain not true.
because my kids believe them, if i tell them!
their dad doesn't really talk to santa on his cell the week before christmas.
santa does not have a naughty or nice list!
he CANNOT see you when you are sleeping!
he doesn't know if you've been bad or good....

because there really was a St. Nick all those years ago and he gave out of the love in his heart!
that really happened!
let's enjoy that.
that is a good story.
better than any made up crap!
check out this book for little kids.
santa are you for real?
at our house we do advent, that includes incorporating god's words and promises into christmas.
but, somehow it doesn't seem to be enough.
to me, at least.
what do you think?

thank you for indulging my ranting.
do any of you smart people have any good ideas for encouraging imagination and wonder, while not lying?
or do most of you just think i am crazy worrier and should just enjoy the days that my kids are still so into santa?
sigh.
sometimes i wish i could turn off my brain.