Santa Claus

So we get to talking a few days ago, the kids and I about der Weihnachtsmann, or Santa Claus...

#4: Then there are presents on the 25th.
Me: Ohhhh. From Santa?
[here I wink at the older kids, to let them in on the joke.]
#3: There is no Santa Claus.

This, coming from a six year old, was very disturbing.

Me: What? Noooo.... Right?
#1: No. it's just Mom.
#3: Yeah. There is only one Santa Claus. He is in Greenland. But he doesn't go to other countries. Just Greenland. Not in the US, or in Germany either.
Me: Really?
#1: Yeah, How could he go everywhere in the world at once?
Me: Ummm
#4: Mom gives us presents on the 25th.
#3: Right!
[Nods all around]

Ok then.... guess the magical wonder is gone. But if anyone tells you the "all the houses in one night" line, you can always tell them, it isn't night everywhere at once. He STARTS in Australia and China and heads west, OBVIOUSLY. And his reindeer are magic. Consider them the Concords of large migrating land mammals. What are oxens and horses compared to REINDEER? Nothing. Cleaaarly.

And in case you were wondering... the word reindeer comes from Old Norse. Reindeer c.1400, from O.N. hreindyri "reindeer," from dyr "animal" (see deer) + hreinn, the usual name for the animal, from P.Gmc. *khrainaz (cf. O.E. hran "reindeer," Ger. Renn). Probably cognate with Gk. krios "ram," but folk-etymology associates it with rennen "to run."

Yes, I like to read the dictionary for fun.

And Santa does exist, damnit.