Hundreds of thousands of parents will encourage their kids to write letters to Santa Claus at the North Pole this year, leave cookies and milk for him on the table and listen out for his reindeer to trot across the roof on Christmas Eve.

Who really reads those letters, or eats the cookies and pretends that the jolly old man has paid the kids a visit? Parents!

Though Santa or No Santa traditions have been passed down from generation to generation the debate as to whether or not it’s cool to tell little tykes about the jolly-good-fella in the red suit continues.

“There’s nothing wrong with Santa Claus, I just choose not to celebrate him in my house,” said Leslie, the mother of two young daughters. “I tell my girls he’s a make-believe-fictional character, just like Mickey Mouse, Sponge Bob and Dora the Explorer.

“You see Santa on TV and at the mall, but he’s not coming to our house,” she continued. “I tell my girls that the true reason for the season is the birth of Jesus Christ.”

Leslie is not alone. Each year, thousands of parents struggle over what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to Kris Kringle.

“Christmas is out of control and Santa is at the helm,” said Raven. “I am so tired of the mixed messages that parents send their children when it comes to Santa. We teach our kids not to lie, but we turn around and lie to them … we know Santa Claus in not real.”

Still, other parents believe it is okay to share Santa with their kids because he speaks to the magic of the holiday season.

“Santa Claus is harmless fun,” said Jennifer. “He’s cute and cuddly and makes holiday wishes come true. Santa gives us all hope during the holiday season and I hope my son always believes.”

Sandra believes society and politically-correct parents have put the kibosh on everything that’s good about being a child.

“Santa Claus helps preserve the innocence of childhood,” she said. “They will learn soon enough just how messed up the world really is. I love writing letters to Santa with my kids and leaving warm milk and cookies for him and so do my kids.”

Originally, Santa Claus was based on Saint Nicholas, the Christian patron saint of children. In recent years, Santa has become more commercialized than Christian. He represents materialism and capitalism.

Children whose parents can not afford every toy that’s advertised on TV’s Disney, Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network channels often feel unloved by Santa at Christmas when they don’t get a bunch of toys.

“I’m a single mom raising a son,” said Jackie. “My son sees me get up and go to work every morning. He knows that his mom loves him and she buys him gifts for Christmas.”

Chris taught her son that Santa doesn’t buy gifts for him. Instead she told him that Santa comes over to help wrap gifts and eat cookies. Her son’s kindergarten teacher called her at work.

“The teacher explained that the class had a conversation about Santa Claus and my son told the class that Santa doesn’t buy gifts, parents do,” said Chris. “I told her that’s the story I chose to tell my kid. She was pissed with me, but let’s just say we agreed to disagree.”

Experts say there is no right or wrong rule when it comes to Santa. Parents should create a Christmas tradition that feels right to them.