We taught our kids about the magic of Santa. When they were about 6 we started to "slip up" on purpose. We would start buying the adult stocking presents when they were with us. we would ask them who they were going to help surprise that year by helping Santa out and giving an extra gift to. When they started to suggest there was no Santa, we would answer with "are you sure? Do you really want to say there is no Santa... you know if you say that, there may not be any gifts under the tree for you". That being said they always put out the cookies (making sure they were ones Dad liked) and made sure there were carrots out as well.

Santa always gave a stocking to each person regardless of age, and one present to each adult and several to each child. The presents were never better than the ones given from Mom and Dad, or other family members, and as they grew up the number lessened. My son was 11 last Christmas, and he was so proud that he saved enough money (allowance, extra chores, shoveling walks) to not only buy all the gifts he was giving with his own money, but he also bought Dad's Santa gift as well.

The tooth fairy was shattered quite early, as he moved his tooth from under his pillow, and I woke him looking for it, and had to leave the room before he woke up all the way. The next morning he said " the tooth fairy must be really busy, cause she forgot me". I suggested I would purchase each tooth for the same as she would and he loved that idea. He would come up to me with his tooth and say, "trade you for a dollar Mom" If the tooth had a filling in it, it was only worth 50 cents. :)
We never did do the Easter bunny. We decorated eggs and had an egg hunt, but that was about it. I am Wiccan, my husband is Atheist with a strong sense of giving to others and spending time with family. So we compromised, we do the Wiccan "Easter" and the "mainstream" Christmas.

I guess keeping the magic of giving is what we celebrate more than Santa, the tooth fairy, or the Easter bunny. We try to create great memories with family and friends, celebrating the magic of the season (whichever one it is).

the "Santa" presents are usually the ones too big or awkward to wrap.

There is a magic and wonder in the world that every child is entitled to receive. Parents should consider how to provide that, in line with their personal belief system.

I disagree about correct modeling of behavoir and consequences in terms of Fairytales.

oh...oh...and I never heard about little Red Riding Hood taking a sexual connotation! If this is what you get from it then the assumption that it is a moral story isn't exclusive or the orignial intent.

I think maybe those would be Fabels that tell a moral story.

...but this is just MY opinion. We can each have our own. ;)

I have a friend that uses Santa (on her speed-dial of all things) as her trump-card for bad behavior... I HATE it. Santa should be a good memory for kids. For him it is always a threat. It is all I can do to hold my tongue.

I really love that he, my son, believes, I never did... it just was not in me for some reason. I've never had faith in anything. I can remember humoring my parents and other kids at three.

Grow some nads and tell them they are fuck heads. JMHO.

Wikipedia has a good article on fairy tales. Among other things, it says that no one set of meanings can be ascribed, and that the Brothers Grimm and others toned down the sexual themes and upped the violence in the tales.

and the article on the tooth fairy says it's a House Elf! and also says:

My wife's friend actually, but there is a LOT more to the story.