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Original poster

How on earth do your children still believe in Santa?

153 replies

mauvish · 21/12/2023 22:23

As the title says. I get the impression that people think that their DC still believe in Santa right up to secondary school age.

How? When the answer to every question in the world is a few computer clicks away? When they will hear from other children at school?

I remember asking my mum outright when I was about 7 or 8, (about yr 3 I think) and that was because I was being teased mercilessly at school for being one of the last to still believe in Santa. Part of the reason that I still clung onto the belief is that I'd heard bells one Xmas night when I was awake (actually this was probably tinnitus secondary to my chronic glue ear but I didn't know that at the time! and convinced myself it was Father Xmas!). I also remember my daughter being told the truth by another child in front of me at school drop off when she was about 5 or 6.

So how on earth are children supposed to still believe in FC (etc) until a much later age nowadays, when in so many other respects they are far more wordly wise at a younger age?

OP posts:
ThickPinkSocks · 21/12/2023 23:42

Aah yes ‘pretend Father Christmas’.
🙈😂
Do you realise how ridiculous your post sounds?

Off to sit on Santa’s knee…. 😉

GrandTheftWalrus · 21/12/2023 23:42

Mine said last year that the santa we went to see wasn't the real one. I said it was one of his elves as santa can't be everywhere as he's in the North Pole getting ready for Christmas. She was happy with that and hasn't questioned this year even though she's seen about 4 different Santa's.

Goldbar · 21/12/2023 23:42

I think many adults forget what it is like being a child... the world is wonderful, nonsensical and bewildering on so many different levels. Have you seen the way children react to vending-machines or ice-cream machines as if they're something absolutely amazing?

Or maybe the adults who are amazed kids still believe just weren't those sorts of kids. But alongside the coolly logical ones who "twig" in early primary exist many children who spend years drifting in and out of magical fantasy worlds and for whom it really isn't that difficult to believe in Santa Claus.

Interested in this thread?

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Events & celebrations Primary education
Pieceofpurplesky · 21/12/2023 23:45

I have taught a couple of lovely SEN kids who still believed at 14/15. The best and most wonderful thing about this is the other kids who play along with it when they realise. It's heartwarming

DS asked me the summer going in to year 6

GrandTheftWalrus · 21/12/2023 23:45

One last thing sorry!

Her belief was more cemented this year when she said she wants santa to bring her blo pens and the santa at her girls brigade Xmas party actually gave her blo pens! And they never asked us what the girls preferred, they just gave them out as her dad was told it was make up when she was collected!

HippeePrincess · 21/12/2023 23:48

DD told us outright two years ago when she was 6 that there was no way Father Christmas was real, she was so matter of fact,logical and cited many reasons. DS10 seemed devastated and I think wholeheartedly believed til that point. He’d never questioned anything whereas DD I think has never really believed as she used to deliberately not tell us her tooth had fallen out to test to see if the tooth fairy would come.

Cakeonthefloor · 21/12/2023 23:51

OldChinaJug · 21/12/2023 22:55

Well I'm a primary school teacher.

I was astonished today when I realised that most of my year class still believe. And those who might have doubts/know otherwise, kept very quiet.

It was lovely tbh.

I overheard my class (year 4) discussing that they pretend to believe in case their parents don't buy them presents.

MistletoeandJd · 21/12/2023 23:52

My eldest now 12 , asd believed until high school I told her out of respect before someone else did she is as brutally honest as they come and she didn't have a clue before that point.

My other dd 8 is starting to question but still believes she definitely doubts the elfs ect I think this will quiete possibly be her natural last year.

HardHeartedHarbingerofHaggis · 21/12/2023 23:52

Mine didn't/haven't got Internet access to search for things but never showed any inclination that they wanted to. I don't make a huge deal of Santa, or 'believing' or he's watching you, nice lists etc so there weren't/aren't many holes to pick. Just a nice part of Christmas and once they twigged (age 10 for one and 9 for another...Still going with the third) not much changed we still refer to Santa etc and it's still a nice part of Christmas.

ichundich · 21/12/2023 23:55

Why does it bother some people so much what others believe? Why do people believe that God made the world in 7 days despite all scientific evidence? Maybe those children still believe because THEY want to?

PrestonHood121 · 22/12/2023 00:16

Most won't believe anymore but will happily go along with it for presents.

Bippitybobbityboing · 22/12/2023 00:22

Willing suspension of disbelief.
My 11 year old still "believes" but of course is well aware that Santa isn't a real person who comes down the chimney.
But he still buys into the magic of Christmas without asking too many searching questions, because it's nicer that way sometimes.

Bippitybobbityboing · 22/12/2023 00:25

ThickPinkSocks · 21/12/2023 22:36

11 years of age and believed in Santa!

Sorry but that just makes me cringe. 😬

I can't believe that adults are being this spiteful towards an 11 year old who believes in Santa.
Not all 11 year olds are streetwise and that's fine.

margotrose · 22/12/2023 00:28

I think it is quite sad when children of 7/8 have no ability for imaginative play.

There's a huge difference between imaginative play (that they know isn't real) and genuinely believing in Father Christmas.

Helpel · 22/12/2023 00:29

The believing or not is such a fine line - I have two girls, aged 7 and 8. The 7 year old fully believes and it's all magical. The 8 year old is starting to question and I think doesn't really believe, but wants to and on Christmas morning will totally suspend the disbelief, as others have said. The rational developing mind just takes over - whether that's at 6,7,8 or 12 at some point it's happening. Why does it matter if that's later than the average. I will still hide their presents and do stockings into their teen years, because I remember my mum doing the and same and I loved it.

SemperIdem · 22/12/2023 00:37

margotrose · 22/12/2023 00:28

I think it is quite sad when children of 7/8 have no ability for imaginative play.

There's a huge difference between imaginative play (that they know isn't real) and genuinely believing in Father Christmas.

There is indeed a huge difference between imaginative play and blindly believing blatant falsehoods.

Yet children believing in Father Christmas is somehow more worthy of challenge than adults devoutly believing in their specific religion.

Newyearnamechangehere · 22/12/2023 00:45

The continuing story of Santa is so magical though; the passing down of goodwill and magic by adults to children over the years. I heard the daughter of the man who picked the misdialled call up talking about it and how her usually gruff dad took it very seriously. (History here: www.norad.mil/Newsroom/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/578773/norad-tracks-santa/#:~:text=NORAD%20has%20been%20tracking%20Santa,promotion%20in%20a%20local%20newspaper.)

JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots · 22/12/2023 00:46

I still believe. My 8 nearly 9 year old believes as does my 84 year old mum. The world is full of shit and misery so believing in FC magic makes all that shit and misery seem less shit and miserable. People need hopes and dreams and FC is hopes and dreams personified.

ZenNudist · 22/12/2023 00:50

Kids are just humouring adults. It gets them presents. I knew from 6 or 7. Bright kids soon figure it out and if they have older siblings or friends with older siblings then there's no chance.

Still it's exciting to get gifts.

Onand · 22/12/2023 00:53

I often wonder how the super bright kids don’t figure it out for themselves when they see everyone is busy buying things and all the Christmas wrapping paper for sale everywhere. The ‘magic’ of believing is quite depressing once you realise it’s a sham and you’ve been lied to. Surely it’s better to teach children the art of gift giving, how it’s not about having the latest thing but rather the thought and effort of choosing something for someone so they know it’s not some creepy old man sneaking around dropping off gifts to the many millions of other children during one night.

IWishIWasABaller · 22/12/2023 00:54

Small rural school where children are allowed to be children,no mobile phone or internet access ,kind friends who don't spoil it for those who still believe . Lots of her class / friend group still firmly believe at 10/11 yrs . Also excitedly swop stories of what their elves have been getting up to . Their teacher previously taught in a school in a large town and no child believed in Santa beyond 6/7 years , she loves the innocence of her current class. My other three children also believed until they were 10/11 years old

Luckyduc · 22/12/2023 00:55

Depends how far you want to go to make it believable. Trip to Lapland always helps. I didn't find out until 9. My child still doesn't know at 9. A kid tried to tell him at school but my kid thought he hlwas bitter cause he was on the naughty list.

mantyzer · 22/12/2023 00:55

Parents these days seem very invested in keeping children believing as long as possible and do what they can to prolong any belief.
I think it is better just to let it fall away more naturally.
When I was a child in last year of primary school I remember the teacher telling us not to tell the younger ones santa did not exist. The teacher assumed we all knew, and I think we probably did.

garlictwist · 22/12/2023 01:02

RougeFraise · 21/12/2023 23:10

My 10yo still believes.

been very careful about the whole thing. They don’t access the internet often because I don’t think it’s good for them at this age.

also if you do Google it it’s not on the first page that it’s all bullshit (I checked)

my child has also been told not to believe everything on the internet, that anyone can write whatever they like so to be careful about that (this was mostly around puberty and sex conversations we had and why I wanted them to come to me and not go googling)

they go to secondary next year and I’ll tell them then

You know not everyone gets the same search results on Google? I just googled out of interest and the first page that comes up confirms he is not.

Pozz · 22/12/2023 01:22

Maybe if you have fond memories yourself of the excitement of Santa you want to share that with your own kids for as long as you can.

Those saying their children know at age 6 to me it seems like the parents aren't that fussed about keeping the magic alive.