It's About Christmas
 

How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus, and how did that come about?

I was five. I realize that is a bit early, but there was always a mountain of presents under our tree, and just about every tag was in my mother's handwriting. (even some presents that were from Dad). I had to wonder about that. Also the illusion was never pushed in our house.

I never believed in Santa. He was never mentioned.

Santa wasn't an issue for my son, but when he found out that Sherlock Holmes wasn't real there were huge tears.

I still celebrate Holmes's birthday.

I was also 5. We had some older neighbor boys that thought it was funny to tell me and my sister just to be mean.

even though I didn't believe in Santa anymore, deep down I didn't want show my parents that I didn't believe just in case, you know

I was always told that Santa was just someone who loved me, not an actual person. I had to be careful not to spoil the belief in him for my friends.

My sisters told me when I was 5 years old - I think.... My DD teaches 4th & 5th grade, she is not sure each year who still believes and who does not, so she has to walk on eggshells each year because she does not want to be the one that bursts the bubble. One of her students was a little girl adopted from China that had a melt down when she found out she couldn't be president because she wasn't born here. My DD didn't realize her student had that dream.

boy, i don't have any memories of Santa coming down the chimney or anywhere else. My memory is terrible anyway. sad but true.

I still believe in him it keeps me young at heart as well as mind.

What! Are you saying Santa isn't real?:D I think I was about 8 but we still always got one present from Santa under the tree. I had older sisters so I assume they must have said something.

When I was ten I received a beautiful "lady doll" and two excellent teddy bears for Christmas, so I knew there was a Santa for sure because my parents could not have afforded to buy all that for me:) I don't remember for sure but I think my mom told me after that. I was a little old! I must have heard some rumblings around school before that since I had that specific thought.

I don't remember when I stopped, I had younger sibs so I must have had to pretend for a while. My DD was 5. She was in the bath and said to me, "The Easter Bunny isn't real, you do all those things." A moment of silent thinking. "And that means Santa is you, too." More thinking. Then she looks at me with huge tears in her eyes. " And that means the Tooth Fairy isn't real either." We never knew if was just all of them together that got her or if the Tooth Fairy was just that important to her

I think I was around age 7 when my older sister told me...in the same conversation she told me about sex. I was more traumatized about the sex explanation. Btw...she was wrong. Lol!

What do you mean there’s no Santa! Santa lives in my heart and I still hear the bell even at 61.

I think I was 6 or 7. I'm the youngest of four and I'm sure my one brother told me lol

I was six and the nun told us in first grade. How bad is that, just before Christmas.

We still believe in Santa around here!! My DGS is 11 and developmentally delayed. He's very bright, and we've handled many questions and issues. His house didn't have a fireplace and that was a real concern. We got him a Santa key to hang out side so Santa could let himself in. This past Christmas we had a heart to heart (broke my heart) and he told me he "knew" but just wasn't ready to give up on the fantasy. He said it made him feel safe and special and he would let me know when he was ready. Easter he told me not to hide eggs, but he sure lit up when he saw a basketful on the coffee table! Growing up we were 8 kids spread over 17 years, so Santa was still coming when I left home!

Probably when I was 5, I knew there was no Santa. But then something happened that made me wonder if I could be wrong. One Christmas Eve, we were awaked with bells ringing. My brothers and I awakened and went into the Living Room to find Santa sitting in a chair. I looked around the room and saw the upstairs neighbors, the next door neighbor and my aunt and uncle. Needless to say I was questioning my knowledge. However, Santa kept getting my brothers confused. I can still see that scene in my head. The first Christmas after I moved in with my mother, I asked her about it. She reminded me that the little girl who lived upstairs was very ill. One of her uncles had dressed up as Santa and came to give her gifts to her. On his way out he had stopped to visit my parents and offered to give us or gifts. I know that my father probably jumped on the chance to make that Christmas memorable, he would have enjoyed it as much as we did -- that was the kind of dad he was.

I came in from the back yard telling my parents that I had found hoof prints of the reindeer touching down in the snow. They wanted to see it. Just some snow that had fallen off a branch and it looked sort of like one reindeer hoof print. Being overly logical, I knew that there could be no flying reindeer, but I just wanted to see their reaction. Priceless.

oh no. no santa claus, i still believe in santa claus.

I don't remember my age, but I think I was older than most. I DO remember asking one hot, summer day (go figure), and my Dad explained to me. He also said he was telling me that there was no Santa Claus, no Easter Bunny and no Tooth Fairy. However, He wanted to emphasize that he nor Mom would ever tell me there was no God and not to let anybody else tell me that there was no God. I have taken that with me for life. Funny, this question came up. I just sent my niece (who has twin 1-year old boys) a letter that I saw on Pinterest this week about a parent's explanation about Santa Claus (Letter to Ryan). It was priceless.

My brother told me when I was 7. Really made me mad at him for a LONG time. My own kids were 4 years apart. I don't remember how the older one found out about Santa, but we played the "Santa game" when his sibling was old enough. The younger asked me about it one day, and I explained it was a "game" that some people play because it's fun and anyone who gives a gift to someone else is a "Santa." When I taught second grade, I knew it would be an issue, so every November, I sent home a letter in a sealed envelope (so the kids couldn't read it) and asked the parents who were totally against the idea or whose children were already savvy, to ask their children not to burst another child's beliefs. If the parents had a problem with my letter, no one ever complained. This continued from 1980's-2010.

Me too!!!!

I was young, maybe 7; my sister who is 17 mos older than me was upset because someone told her there was no Santa. I asked my mom if we still got presents and she said yes, so I didn't much care who brought'em! LOL Years later, the "Santa Clause" movies made it totally possible, for me anyway, to believe again and so I choose to believe.

My kids are 36 and 27 and there still has to be a joint usually silly present from Santa under the tre��. When thing we’re younger because of the age difference they were told if you don’t believe he won’t come ��

I like to still believe in the magic of Santa Clause. I told my grandkids if they don't believe they will not get anything. Or worse, they get underwear ��

I don't remember my age, but I remember my children's ages - each was about 8 years old. They each came to me separately and asked. I told each in turn that Santa was the spirit, a feeling and a way of acting during the holidays; it was important for each one of us to make it special for others and now that you know Santa is not a real person who comes with presents, it it each of us giving presents and love to each other in a secret way. I asked each of them to not tell their younger sibling/s and Dad and I would need their help in keeping the spirit of Santa special for the whole family. They were delighted that they were allowed to be part of all the secrets for each other.

I don't remember ever believing in Santa. I remember leaving out cookies and Coke for Santa but I knew my dad ate them. I was the youngest child.

Santa and all that he entails was for other kids. We were told we were lucky we could live in the house.

My son believed in the great pumpkin too. He woke up on Halloween, and on the front steps, it was decking, was a pumpkin that had grown thru the slats. No one saw it the days before either. He knew the great pumpkin left it for him. He got letter from Santa for awhile. I had friends mail him a card in early December. he believed in a long time.
Cupid would bring him gift for Valentines day till he was about 6. The Easter bunny, about the same time. when he was about 7, He heard the story of Ostara, and learned all about the holiday and how the story of the bunny started.
He believed in the St.Pat's leprechaun for a long time, because of something that happened to both of us. I still give him something goldish. Usually, some gold coins, the gold ones from the Sacawajia ones that were minted about 15 years ago. the train station gives them out in the machine.
Santa comes to our house every year, along with Haunnauka Harry.

I think older kids probably clued me in, but I don't remember a thing about it. I don't think I was much inclined to believe in Santa as a child, and my parents weren't big on the myth. They were more likely to inform us if something we were hoping for was beyond the family budget, and I don't remember being very troubled by that. I do remember them reading The Night Before Christmas, but I thought of it as any other charming storybook. I could easily get more excited about brown paper packages coming in the mail because those were unexpected and unpredictable surprises from distant relatives. Now I still get excited about Amazon boxes because half the time I can't think what it was I ordered!

I was much older than everyone else. I was 12 when I finally stopped believing in Santa. Although I still believe. If not for Santa I doubt people would be so generous. I am very much a realist but, I do like some fantasy in my life from time to time. In the 50's it was much easier to believe than it would be now.