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Original poster

When did your children stop believing in Father Christmas?

63 replies

biks · 03/07/2023 08:08

I read a thread the other day where a poster stated that 6 years old is 'around the age' where children will stop believing and it has honestly played on my mind since purely as I'd love a few more years of believing with my DS(6) Blush

What's the general consensus? I was personally a late bloomer of 'finding out' at nearly 12 Blush but I'm glad that I was that age.

OP posts:
Bringonthesunforthewashing · 03/07/2023 08:10

We told our twins last August.

They we’re starting high school in the September and I didn’t want them to be teased if they still believed, they were 11 and a half.

AuntMarch · 03/07/2023 08:13

I don't remember believing, I was 4 or 5 and just figured out it wasn't possible!
With my own DC I'm not going to go to any lengths to make him believe longer if he starts to do the same because Christmas was still wonderful for me.

berksandbeyond · 03/07/2023 08:14

My mum worked in a primary school and said there’s usually one kid (with older siblings) who gleefully ruins it for the class, around 6 or 7. I personally will be telling DD maybe Santa just doesn’t go to their house because that child is naughty ho ho ho 🎅🏻

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FlounderingFruitcake · 03/07/2023 08:14

DD was 5. It came out around St Patrick’s day and losing her first tooth when she said Leprechauns and the tooth fairy aren’t real just like Santa. I was about the same age. Personally I’m quite pleased, I don’t want a fat old fella taking credit for my hard work 🤣 and Christmas is still just as good because it’s really all about family, fun, food etc.

CurlewKate · 03/07/2023 08:16

I'm not sure mine ever really believed. We still do Father Christmas and they are 21 and 25 though!

FlounderingFruitcake · 03/07/2023 08:18

My niece kept up the pretence for years though- she thought that because adults don’t get stockings it was contingent on pretending to believe. They told her when she went to secondary after worrying about it and she admitted knowing for ages!

ClymYeobright · 03/07/2023 08:20

We never did FC as literally real, and he went to a very multicultural Montessori and primary, with lots of children who either didn’t do Christmas or had different stories about who brought the presents, so it was always ‘Some people believe…’ Didn’t make much difference — we still did letters and leaving out food and tree presents.

DelurkingAJ · 03/07/2023 08:20

DS1 rolled his eyes at me aged 10 and said he’d worked it out at 7. DS2 (7) has suddenly twigged about the tooth fairy so I suspect will not believe this Xmas. We still get Xmas stockings in this house as adults so no change at all in what we do or the excitement levels!

Radiat · 03/07/2023 08:24

They were both around 7, though one was nearer to 8. From memory, I was about the same age, so it seemed fairly normal to me. Strict warnings not to go and tell their friends, which they stuck to.

Whinge · 03/07/2023 08:26

They told her when she went to secondary after worrying about it and she admitted knowing for ages!

I suspect this is quite common. A lot of children work it out between 5 - 7 years old but still play along. When the parents decide to tell them a few years later they seem surprised that the children have known for years. Children are really good at saying the right things and pretending to believe, and I would say the vast majority have worked it out long before their parents think they stopped believing.

FourTeaFallOut · 03/07/2023 08:28

We had non believers at 4, 5 and 6 years. But they all humoured the pantomime for a good few years after expressing their disbelief.

Lagershandy · 03/07/2023 08:30

Our DS was seven, and I have to admit Christmas wasn't quite the same after that.

mondaytosunday · 03/07/2023 08:35

I think my son was about 7? He figured it out - wondered if Santa shopped at Tesco too... then asked if, in fact, I was Santa.
Had to swear him to secrecy so he didn't tell his sister. I think she asked me a year or two later if Santa was real and I told her snd she was upset I did (tell her, not that Santa wasn't real - she was happy to 'pretend' for a bit longer).

BogTrollAtLarge · 03/07/2023 09:11

Mine didn’t believe in Santa as a real thing when he was small (just thought he was from a story like the gruffalo)… then when he went to school he started believing in Santa, the tooth fairy, fairies in general, and then at 7 decided none of it was real again (he is massively ND though so he massively commits to then rejects things a lot).

PleaseYourselfandEatTheCrusts · 04/07/2023 20:35

Ds was 8 when he asked (and I confirmed he was made-up).

I believed until I was 10. I'm glad ds worked it out.

ByeByeMr · 04/07/2023 20:46

My dc is in year 6 and I told him earlier in the year that FC isn't real as he asked me. It was time. I'm glad I kept it going for as long as I could though.

CherryLipgloss · 04/07/2023 20:47

DS1 was 11yo but the younger two figures it out sooner.

UnreasonabIe · 04/07/2023 20:48

We've always said he's more "the spirit of Christmas " rather than a literal person so anyone can believe or not.

ASGIRC · 04/07/2023 20:49

I dont remember what age we were, but between 5 and 7, Id say.
Where Im from, we stay up for presents on the 24th, so us kids would go in a different room for Santa to come.

My dad would usually entertain us (me, my brother and cousin, all the same age).
This one year, we were adamant about looking through the key hole and saw my uncle and mom carrying presents in their arms.

We had a very "HAHA gotcha!!!" attitude about it. We didnt care it wasnt real.

I dont remember being told not to tell other kids, but I dont think I did.

Weal · 04/07/2023 20:50

My son is 9 and says he’s “thinking about it”. So I think he knows Santa isnt real but isn’t ready to ask/confirm yet.

I think most kids suspect before the absolutely decide that Santa isn’t real.

Hiddiddleyho · 04/07/2023 20:52

I get really worried that my Dd currently 8yo is not going to take the truth very well!!!! Just going on personality. My Ds age 6 would be fine.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 04/07/2023 20:54

FC was never a real person in our house, just a lovely story.

Franklin2000 · 04/07/2023 20:55

I’ve never told DS1 and he’s 18. I think he might know though 😂 .
I’d say by 10 the rumours started going round school. I think I’ll end up having to tell ds2, he’s not as worldly wise as ds1 and I’d probably do it by the same age once the rumours start unless he asks before. Like pp, I don’t think he’ll take it well!

PhotoExplosion · 04/07/2023 20:55

DD was uncertain at 9, figured it out by 10.

thunderandsunshine01 · 04/07/2023 20:58

DD is 11 and my eldest, still firmly believes. Haven’t worked out whether to break it to her soon ahead of secondary school in sept, and far away from Christmas for it not to ruin the season.