Secret Santa

I was walking through a mall recently and saw kids standing in line to get a photo with Santa.  Nothing unusual there--a seasonal occurrence.

But it got me thinking. If you're a little kid, and you doubt Santa Claus exists, there sure is a lot of evidence going against you.  Everywhere you go you see proof.  Santa is on your corner or at your mall.  There are tons of TV shows and movies where he does his magic.  Then there's Christmas Day, where the evidence is right in front of you.

Not having grown up believing in Santa, I don't know what it's like when you realize the truth.  But I was wondering how it may affect some people. Because what you've got amounts to a massive conspiracy of adults putting one over on kids.

Do some of these kids grow up to believe in conspiracy theories because of this?  I mean, if millions and millions of people could be part of this plot, who knows what other vast conspiracies are going on out there designed to keep us blissfully unaware.