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Original poster

At what age did your child stop believing in Father Christmas

79 replies

ishouldprobablygettherapy · 16/10/2023 09:48

In light of another thread I read some of yesterday, I saw very mixed opinions about when children do and don't believe in Father Christmas. Or whether some others ever do at all.

So my question is, what age did YOUR children stop believing??

OP posts:
curaçao · 16/10/2023 11:58

On mn the averafe afe seems ti be 9 to 11 but IRL about 6 or 7

Cincinnatus · 16/10/2023 12:02

Youngest is 10 and still believes. I think this will probably be the last year.

Tessisme · 16/10/2023 12:04

I ended up telling DS1 at 11yo before he started secondary school😬 I had tried to bring it up with him when he was a bit younger - just testing the water - but he looked so worried, I just let it go!! DS2 announced last year (at 10) that he hadn't believed in the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny for while, but that he did NOT want to have a conversation about Santa just yet🤣🤣

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Its5656 · 16/10/2023 12:05

He found out through some boys at school at around 7/8 years old.

teenysaladandsniffofarose · 16/10/2023 12:18

I'm surprised at how old children are when they believe in Santa?!
are some of them maybe having the parents on...?

I started having suspicions around age 5 when I realised every Santa I met looked completely different and wore a fake beard😂

InvisibleDuck · 16/10/2023 12:19

I suspected at 5 (essentially because my school were collecting donations for children in 'poor countries' and it made no sense to me that FC would get me lots of gifts but leave other kids without even enough food :/ ) and so I snuck down on Christmas Eve to confirm my suspicions - saw parents filling the stockings! When I told them, my mother said, annoyed, 'if you don't believe, you don't get any presents' - so, being a sensible child who knew exactly where the presents were coming from, I pretended to believe for years, despite feeling really weird about it. It did feel like a bizarre conspiracy that all the adults were in on.

If my mother were on MN she'd be posting 'oh, I had to tell Invisible the truth when she was 11, hehe!' Despite the fact that my reaction was a flat 'yes, I know.' She was just very invested in the 'magic of Christmas' and even as a child I realised it was about her and not me.

SinnerBoy · 16/10/2023 12:28

I was 6, so was my daughter. I had suspicions the year before, as I had to write thank you letters to a host of relatives...

elliejjtiny · 16/10/2023 12:38

My dc have never believed. My parents told me when I was about 6 because I was scared of the idea of some strange man coming into my bedroom in the middle of the night. I still believed in the tooth fairy, although I used to leave my tooth in an egg cup on the landing windowsill so she wouldn't come into my bedroom!

UsefulSmartPrettyHappy · 16/10/2023 13:42

7

Username2356 · 16/10/2023 13:55

6

CurlewKate · 16/10/2023 14:09

@teenysaladandsniffofarose
I'm surprised at how old children are when they believe in Santa?!
are some of them maybe having the parents on...?"

Of course they are!

HectorGloop · 16/10/2023 14:10

DD is 9 and still wants to believe, DS is 7 and asked me (after a tooth came out) if Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy were actually parents pretending. DD told him to be quiet and not ask questions, mostly because I think she didn't want to know the answer 😂

Ryeman · 16/10/2023 14:16

DS1 is 11 and I'm pretty sure he might still believe. DS2 is 7 and probably less likely to believe! I can't believe some people saying 6 or younger though. That's surely the prime time for FC excitement!!

Sandysandwich · 16/10/2023 14:18

About 6, maybe 7 they played along for years though

WinterNightStars · 16/10/2023 14:24

Eldest DD was around 9 & sworn to secrecy. Youngest DD we had to gently tell before high school though I suspect she knew really.

Nutellaonall · 16/10/2023 14:25

9 nearly 10. Asked me outright. I tried to bluff but he had me and I just could t lie to his face.

areyouhavinglaugh · 16/10/2023 14:28

My eldest asked and I told the truth he was so upset!! He was 9

My youngest who is now 9 asks, and with a wry smile I say "if you don't believe the magic has gone" wink wink.

BigMandsTattooPortfolio · 16/10/2023 14:34

I think I always knew it wasn’t real.

BrightlyCloudedSky · 16/10/2023 14:56

DD was suspicious at 9. Very, very suspicious at 10 and then figured out the tooth fairy. She hasn't said anything but I don't believe she believes anymore (11).

DS13 with ASD. Honestly, no idea. Seemed to still believe in the Easter bunny this year (DD thanked us, he didn't) and hasn't said anything about the tooth fairy. Might tell DD to have a word...

Sunflowerzzz · 16/10/2023 15:07

My dd turns 10 just before Christmas and she said last night that she was going to 'ask Santa' for something this year. I wasn't sure if she would still be believing but I've just booked a very lovely Santa experience on the basis of her saying this last night. I think it might be our last ever one Sad

toadasoda · 16/10/2023 15:54

Ds1 was 10, almost 11. I have twins 10 now and one of them was questioning last year so I hope he will go along with it as I don't think its right to lie to his face at this stage. If I have to come clean I don't know if he will have the maturity to not tell his twin sister. She 100% believes. I'd love to have Santa gradually ease out of our lives and not suddenly disappear in one go!

I think I was 9.

That other thread made me laugh, someone claimed no child over 3 really believed!!

AutumnalPumpkin · 16/10/2023 19:55

toadasoda · 16/10/2023 15:54

Ds1 was 10, almost 11. I have twins 10 now and one of them was questioning last year so I hope he will go along with it as I don't think its right to lie to his face at this stage. If I have to come clean I don't know if he will have the maturity to not tell his twin sister. She 100% believes. I'd love to have Santa gradually ease out of our lives and not suddenly disappear in one go!

I think I was 9.

That other thread made me laugh, someone claimed no child over 3 really believed!!

Yes the thread was downright shocking honestly!! Trying to push the point that hardly any young children believe these days!
It's reassuring to know that that is not the case !

Abbyant · 16/10/2023 19:56

I’ve had to pull a whopper of a lie about Santa this year because dh stupidly “hide” the bike we’d bought for dd4 under a blanket in the middle of our bedroom instead of in the loft like I’d asked. So told her I had to buy it for Santa because he couldn’t make that type of bike but I’ve got to send it to him to deliver on Christmas.

Jayne35 · 16/10/2023 19:56

@elliejjtiny I was very young when my parents told me too as I was terrified and ending up being sick every Christmas Eve. I didn’t keep up any pretence with my children either and told them early.

QueenieL · 16/10/2023 19:56

One of mine was year 6. Said they’d started to doubt the year before but didn’t want it not to be real. They’ve spent the last few years going along with it. My year 5, soon to be 10, still seems to believe and I’m hoping I get this Christmas.

I was only 7 or 8 when older kids told me and it was a bit early really. Saying that, I still believe in Santa as he’s the magic of Christmas. I bloody love it!

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