My parents really put Santa Claus in his place. I'm glad they prioritized religion.

Before they scurry off to bed this Christmas Eve, many kids will set out a plate of cookies, a glass of milk and perhaps even a carrot stick for Santa Claus and his reindeer to thank them for stopping by and to help fuel the rest of their whirlwind trip around the globe. The ritual is one of many harmless little traditions that families repeat with a wink year after year to nurture a sense of holiday magic and wonder – and it's one of the Christmas traditions my family didn't indulge when I was young.

My sister and I were raised with a general awareness of Santa lore. We heard about some guy who was super generous a long time ago. We enjoyed Hollywood's take on Christmas in the 1990s, with "Home Alone," "The Santa Clause" and "Jingle All The Way." And we saw people dressed as Santa in parades, at parties and at the mall. So we knew who the jolly fella was. But we never sent him a letter, and our family certainly didn't make a habit of trying to feed him or his reindeer.