From my perspective, and as I've told my grand kids, 'when you make up a story about your adventures with your pet dinosaur, that's fun and creative, but when you make up a story about whether or not you punched your brother, that's a lie, and that's wrong.'
For one, I think that is a MUCH more important message and differentiation to get into your kids minds and hearts.
Secondly, as creatures made in Gods image, we are to be creators, and thus creative, so while it can be debated whether the story of Santa is an expression of that or not, I think the idea of never 'lying' to your kids is not reasonable, possibly not as caring as you seem to intend.
Life is hard. There is no magic. The sooner they realize that, the better prepared they are. Now, they can fantasize about reindeer and red bearded guys all day long, but I would not be the one telling them their fantasies are real when they are not. Every life form in this planet is passing to their offspring the raw reality, except humans, who are teaching their kids that some old man comes down the chimney to give them presents because they've been such good kids. Just love them and support them. Don't lie to their faces. Or do. I do not care, they are not my kids.
Your perspective sounds terribly cold, legalistic and lacking in any recognition of grace to me.
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