Is Santa Overexposed?

Do kids see too much of Santa these days? I seem to remember that when I was a kid, you’d see him the one time you went into a mall during Xmas shopping, but then that was it — there was a mystique about him, a legendary figure unseen except for from a distance. But nowadays, it’s impossible to avoid the jolly old elf. He’s everywhere. The guy ringing the bell for the Salvation Army bucket at the supermarket might be dressed as Santa. Large stores like Circuit City occasionally have a Santa roaming the aisles. There was a Santa at preschool today. Santa, Santa everywhere. So I guess I’m waiting for the logic to kick in: “If I can see Santa just about everywhere during the Xmas season, why is it that his most important appearance comes when I’m just sleeping?”