It's really not that complicated: the world is celebrating a great man's birthday.
This man impacted many lives. Although his goodness can still be seen today, and his love for humanity in general still shows, he is not "here" so we celebrate his memory and on his Birthday we can't give HIM gifts- so we give each other gifts. So Christmas is named after Jesus Christ, well that's his name!
....that's easy to comprehend for just about anybody.
Santa Clause fits in because he's another good man of history, he lives on in spirit, his spirit inspires others to give gifts, his past good deeds inspire others to do good deeds around this holiday and so he is also celebrated.
If you want to be remembered, and be put on his list to get gifts, then you need to be good, and give to others too. It's not just about being good to get stuff, it's about giving to get....and in giving=there is goodness.
I can't imagine how many people are harboring secret insecurities because their parents had fun watching them scurry around all freaked out that Santa could see them pinching their little sister and they thought they wouldn't get that shiny widget on Christmas morning! So, in my opinion- Santa on! But, don't let the obsession for gifts on that day get out of hand, and don't spin Sant Clause as a god figure in the first place.
On a side note----Little beastly kids whining that they got girl toys instead of boy toys telling parents that they hate them? [Jimmy Kimmel, show sp?] Is that really the kinds of little adults you want to raise?
