Beware:Christmas spoiler! Don't let your kids NEAR this blog!

I am having Christmas panic attacks. Not the usual how-are-we-going-to-be-able-to-afford-presents panic attacks. Those have become as commonplace a tradition as putting up the Christmas tree. My kids are getting to the age that I am sure that any minute now they will start to question Santa and all his "magic". Well, they have already started to question it but in a horrible way. Jillian actually said yesterday "you guys would NEVER lie to us so we know Santa is real". Aaaahhhh! I have had guilt about this for years now. I know that it is all about the wonder of Christmas and all that fun stuff but I have felt like it really is a big, fat lie. I am someone that is just about incapable of lying and hate every second of it when I have to, as we are all forced to do sometime or another in our lifetime. If I have it well rehearsed and planned out I can sometimes pull it off, but if I have to lie on the fly, I suck at it. It really is a blessing and a curse. Now, I feel like this lie is biting me in the ass. They have cousins that tried to tell them years ago about Santa when they were too young for me to ruin it for them, so I am freaking out that now they will resent me for the rest of their lives for tricking them for all these years.
I realize that I am probably overreacting to this. We all went through the realizations of Christmas and not too many of us are scarred for life about it. After the comment Jillian made yesterday we actually went online to look up any suggestions from other parents about how to deal with this as many parents go through the same thing and all of them have kids that someday have to figure it all out. We found a couple of good suggestions. The best one said to tell your kids that Santa WAS a real person many, many years ago. This is true. This "Nick" guy we learn about was someone that used to leave presents for the sick and needy and later was named a saint. They suggested that we tell them that since that wonderful man has long since left this world that parents now carry on his legacy and spirit by carrying on the tradition he started. I just still feel like they are going to feel betrayed when they find out that there is no "magic" and no one comes down the chimney (even though we have never had one) and trades off presents for cookies and milk. Oh yeah, that was the other thing she said. "you guys would NEVER eat the cookies and the carrots we leave out!" Again, aaaahhhhh! How did this happen? What am I supposed to do? They have heard from other kids that they don't believe in Santa but they are not buying it one bit since their parents would never lie to them so it must be true. Kacie is now ten and Jillian is eight so I feel like it is an ok time for them to find out. I don't want my kids to be the ones that are made fun of because they are too childish. I know that I have problems about worrying too much. I just wish they would either just figure it out on their own or listen when someone tells them (like they already have) and not ask me "Mom, is Santa REALLY real?" so I don't have to be the one to tell them and see their disappointed little faces. I think I may set some red flags off when they open their stockings (always filled by Santa) and realize that most of it has come from Walgreens, a store that they are very familiar with the products we sell. I think Christmas morning would be the worst time for them to find out but it may be unavoidable. I will be so relieved when it is over. Not Christmas, but the stress of wondering how they will find out. If anyone has any suggestions other than what I have seen, it would be greatly appreciated. Even stories of how you found out and how you are NOT scarred for life about it or hate your parents for making you feel like a fool, that would make me feel better. I think. Maybe. AAAHHHHH!!