Hopefully, by the time you read this, Santa Claus is back at the North Pole, resting, after a night of squeezing down chimneys, eating cookies, drinking milk and, of course, delivering presents around the world.

Before he flew away on his sleigh pulled by his famous team of reindeer, we managed to catch up to St. Nick at his workshop across Lake Coeur d'Alene at Casco Bay. He agreed to take a seat, kick up his feet in his black boots, check his list yet one more time, and with a merry twinkle in his eyes, share a few magical moments with us.

We hope you find wisdom and wonderment in Santa's words.

Are the kids being good or bad this year?

The children are surprisingly good this year. Unfortunately, there are many families in need, and the kids seem to sense that, and are latching onto the idea that Christmas is about giving as well as receiving.

What lands a kid on the bad list, anyway?

Well, you know me, the eternal optimist. All kids are good, but some periodically suffer 'episodes of naughtiness.' Two behaviors that especially get red-flagged by Alabaster Snowball, the Chief Administrative Elf, are bullying and disrespect.

What are some of the more popular requests for gifts?

Whoo doggies, we get many varied and unique gift requests. Popular this year is the iPad 2 - and there have been requests for an electronic action game called Flush Action, which includes a toy toilet. Needless to say our electronics division has kicked into overdrive. There are many old-school requests, too: Barbies, bikes, Candy Land, puppies - one 'mature' young lady wanted her garage cleaned. That I'll leave to her husband.

What do you feed your reindeer and how do they fly?

The reindeer eat a lot of meatless lasagna, for the carbs, and also tons of Caesar salad with extra lichens. One reindeer in particular, who happens to have a red nose, has a real hankering for Twinkies.

Any ideas how many toys you'll make this year?

We're not done yet, but a ballpark figure would be around 950 million, give or take. And add the Speedo running shorts for the editor of a certain newspaper, and that's 950 million and one.

What's the trick for fitting down the chimney and visiting every home in one night?

I get asked this question a lot. There are some mystical, magical elements to Christmas that even I can't comprehend, it just happens. Once I get strapped into the sleigh, it's a whirlwind of lights and colors and presents and cookies and milk - suffice to say, on Dec. 26 I'm ready for a nap.

How old are you, anyway?

Ho, ho, ho.

What do you say to those who don't believe in Santa Claus?

I say, 'Hey. Here I am.' Seriously, though, I think many people say outright they don't believe in me, but then I catch them performing a random act of kindness. So they still believe in the essence of what I stand for, and I view that as a win-win situation.

Do you like to exercise?

Well, at Mrs. Claus' request, I go to Zumba twice a week. I actually enjoy getting jiggy with it. But, and this may sound like an excuse, this extra padding I carry does really help the warmth factor, especially when your shooting over Siberia at 200 mph.

What would you like for Christmas?

I have just about everything I need. Maybe some new bowling shoes.

What would you say is the true meaning of Christmas?

It's hard to put into words, but it's that elation you feel when someone is about to open a gift that you know in your heart will bring them joy and happiness. It's the joy of giving, in a nutshell. It's that anticipation and sense of generosity that fuels the whole North Pole enterprise.

What do you do the day after Christmas?

We all take a humongous power nap. Then, we have a large feast and watch a Christmas movie marathon. 'Elf' is my favorite.