Dear Heloise: For keeping small items like eye pencils, my good tweezers, and a sharpener findable, organized and tidy (and to keep points or blades from premature dulling and bouncing around in my makeup bag), I use a clear rubber glove and put things I want to protect into each finger. Then I clamp the wrist closed with a clothespin or a binder clip. It’s easy to grab and find items, and things are much tidier. — Melissa A., in Oswego, New York

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SANTA VS. REALITY

Dear Heloise: In response to Lee E., regarding Santa, our kids learned, in time, the truth about Santa. I let them know that I much prefer a world with Santa in it than one without. We have quite enough reality to contend with already. — Randy, in San Antonio

MORE ON SANTA

Dear Heloise: I was appalled with the letter you received from Lee E. of Moseley, Virginia. Generations of children have been delighted and lived a normal childhood while believing in and enjoying these mythical holiday mascots. What a joy it is to believe in and experience the magic of the seasons with these loveable characters!

I know of no one who was scared for life because of their early fascination with these myths. Adult life becomes a reality fast enough. If Lee wants to ban the experience of this joyful time from their family, fine, but please do not try to ruin it for the rest of us. — D.T., in Florida

D.T., I’ve always felt like Christmas had a little more “magic” to it with Santa Claus as the mysterious visitor who brings gifts. Childhood is short, so let children enjoy it as much as possible.

And we should remember that sadly there are children all over the world who have bombs falling on their homes, who go hungry every day, and have lost so much and gone through experiences that no child should go through. What would be the purpose of depriving a child of the happiness they get when they see a Santa in a store? They’ll get enough “reality” as an adult. — Heloise

SANTA CONT’D

Dear Heloise: I can see both sides of the debate, and here’s where I landed: As a child, when I found out that the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny weren’t real, I was really angry at my parents for lying for a little while. Then I got to see younger kids enjoy the wonder and didn’t want to crush their joy; who would?

When I became a parent, I got to see the wonder, joy and imagination of my children become incalculably enhanced by holiday incarnations. When they started to question it, I sat them down and explained it essentially like this: Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy — all of them are not physically real. What is real is what they represent.

They are like the mascots of the holiday, and we all know that mascots aren’t real either. Every parent and loved one has the essence of Santa Claus in them when they give a gift to someone they love. This is how this tradition lives on. Unicorns aren’t real either, but no one throws a temper tantrum about it when they find out.

Imagination, when it’s tied to positive, good, kind and generous events and people, is not a bad thing. It should be embraced. Santa is real. He lives in the hearts of those who let him. — Heidi G., via email

Heidi, this was the perfect explanation. — Heloise