Santa is everywhere you look during the holiday season, and that can be confusing for children. Seeing so many Santas inevitably brings up the question, "Is Santa real? And if Santa is real, which Santa is real?" No parent wants to lie to his or her child. And no parent wants to burst the magical bubble that makes the holiday season so precious.

Chantel R., who is considering what to do, remarks that some parents refrain from telling their kids the Santa myth at all "because they don't want to lie."

Where do you stand? How do you explain Santa to your children?

What if you had a wonderful explanation of who Santa really is? An explanation that doesn't lie or destroy the magic of the season? Would that be helpful? If so, then you're in luck.

Several years ago, I read a New York Times piece that answered the Santa question perfectly. I knew in my bones this was destined to become the classic answer. I contacted the writer, Martha Brockenbrough, and got permission to republish her piece. First, let me set this up: Martha's daughter has figured out the truth about Santa, which "left her mother grappling with how to explain that belief." She did it with this letter: