My mum *still* keeps up the pretence. It’s frankly creepy.

I don’t remember ever believing in santa, but I can remember a time when I hadn’t yet gathered enough evidence to support my “santa doesn’t exist” theory. I think I thought that if I could come up with enough evidence and compose a strong enough argument, my mum would eventually admit it was all a lie. Apply whatever metaphor you like.

In terms of my own kids, I think I’d like to have the fiction but in a camped-up, tongue-in-cheek way. I’d like to be able to do the stupid ‘evidence’ stuff (eaten mince pies, sooty footprints etc) without ever pretending it’s real. I certainly don’t want to use santa as a tool for discipline – I’d like my kids to do the right thing because it’s right, not in order to get presents. Quite how you achieve that, though, I’m not clear on.