Sir, - Go ahead then, Myles Kelleher of Swords (November 26th), in your headlong dash to tell your son that Santa doesn't exist. You seem so tired of the whole carry-on that you might as well cancel Christmas altogether in your house, apart from a visit to your local place of worship. Bah humbug!
It is surely possible to hold more than one concept in the mind at a time. Of course the main message of Christmas is a Christian one, rather than a commercial one. But there are so many of us who hold that the existence of Santa Claus is a key element of the magic and true spirit of Christmas, and not just for children. St Nicholas was a bishop in the early church, known for his kindness to children. He is the inspiration for our Santa Claus. I grew up in a Christian home in which Santa Claus had - and still has - a very special place. For me the magic was so deeply rooted that any interest in continued visits from Santa went far beyond greed or cynicism. It was hard to face down my callow, nine-year-old friends with their proud denials of his existence without seeming naive. But it was becoming clear to me even then that this magical dimension of Christmas formed part of an indivisible whole.
I will not be disillusioning our daughters, however soon they may be able to understand. Some things are best left to the imagination. - Yours, etc., Philip Jackson,
St Laurence Road, Chapelizod, Dublin 20.