We all know about how Santa determines what he brings people for Christmas. So you need to ask yourself if you've been naughty or nice this year.

Of course if you've been naughty, then you know that you should expect a lump of coal from Santa. But I've found that this isn't always the case.

You see, if I've been naughty, then Santa has been known to bring things that will help me to be more naughty in the upcoming year. Of course, my wife really enjoys it when Santa helps me to be naughty.

So the rumors floating around about coal in your stocking for being naughty may not hold true.

Of course, being nice always gets you a gift or several from Santa on Christmas morning. But what you get really depends on several factors that I'll cover below. 

We all know that this year is one of the slowest years in recent history as far as the economy goes. So you might find that Santa has to conserve on fuel and feeding costs for his reindeer.

If Santa has been affected like many throughout the world, he may not be able to carry as many gifts as normal. This may be due to him reducing the number of reindeer that pull his sleigh if he can't afford to keep them all at full strength.

Of course, he may also have problems getting the raw materials that he needs just to make his gifts for you.

But if I know Santa, he probably doesn't have to worry about this too much. So ask him for what you want, because if you never ask, no one will know.