Do You Believe in Santa Claus? —
A British psychiatrist, Lynda Breen, has concluded that
belief in Santa Claus is actually good for the moral development of children. Apparently believing in the existence of a jolly red-suited man who
"'knows if you've been bad or good' helps teach children the difference between right and wrong." As much as my first inclination is to make a sarcastic remark about this, I think I'm going to hold back since there's a whole slew of fantastic beings whose existence I find myself very reluctant to deny, especially when kids are around: jackalopes, Nessie, Roswell aliens, etc. Of course, none of these creatures offer any kind of moral example, so Dr. Breen would probably say that belief in them is unhealthy.