I am from Belgium and here, Santa ("de Kerstman" is always someone dressed like a coca-cola figure. No kid believes he's real.
However ... there is another man, "Sinterklaas", which comes at 6 december. He's a saint man that has a black servant ("zwarte piet" and comes with his steamship from Spain. He's the one that puts toys in our shoes. (Also around the shoes, not much place in it =) ). He usually also brings chocolate, mandarins and speculaas.
And guess what ... halfway november all kids are seeing forward to meat the Sint. But some of the older ones no longer believe he's real...