I agree with Rosehannah, he is old enough to start to understand about Saint Nicholas and the history behind the true Santa Claus. I have a 12yo and she believes that there is a spirit called Saint Nic who guides parents as to how to celebrate Christmas.

I personally was never really happy about my children adopting the modern image of Santa Claus. The Jolly fat guy in the red suit was basically invented by the Coco Cola company:

In 1931, the Coca-Cola Company commissioned Chicago illustrator Haddon Sundblom to develop the image of a human-like Santa Claus, based on the positive public response to a magazine advertisement for Coca-Cola depicting such a character that appeared in late 1930. Prior to Sundblom's first rendition in 1931, people envisioned Santa Claus as leprechaun-like, or as a queer mixture of a gnome and a bishop. Over the next third of a century, Sundblom's Santa would be embraced by the public worldwide, and become a holiday tradition.


I allow my younger children to be swept up with the modern tradition but I think it is good to teach older children the more authentic older traditions. 11 is a great year to start