Telling kids santa just ain't real

[Namechange90]

What ages do you all think kids should learn the truth about santa?
From a young age I've always known my parents and family members have bought our gifts.

I have a nephew aged 9 and he's always been aware Santa doesn't really come.

My kids are 3 and obviously believe and I have no intention to tell them until there are older. What are all your thoughts on this?

They usually figure it out long before they let on to parents. Well before secondary school age.

I don't plan on telling my DC until after their last Christmas before starting secondary school.

I'm under no illusion that my eldest DC 11 & 9 haven't figured it out, I know they have doubts and they've been questioning it for years, especially as the majority of their friends know. So I do my utmost to offer them plausible explanations about Santa to try and keep them believing, although I'm aware they probably don't!

But personally for myself as a child, believing in Father Christmas was part of the magic of Christmas. And I feel quite sad when a young child doesn't believe.

I never believed in Santa - my parents always told me he was a story made up to explain the magic of Christmas. I always loved Christmas and knowing my parents gave me gifts and ate the mince pies never made it any less special.

I think children find it out by themselves and don’t need to be told. DD9 is starting to wonder but I’m not going to spoil it for her

Ds questioned from age 6 and we confessed when he was 8. He doesn't seem scarred by it

We did the same as depestdarkestperu with our 3 children...Father Christmas was just an expression of the love and kindness that Christmas engendered. He wasn't real and no one was coming down the chimney. Of course they had stockings and presents, but having them from parents, friends and relatives was just as lovely.

A relative's child believed in FC until she was almost 11 and was a subjected to some ridicule from her classmates.

I’m torn on this ...
I remember being sad when I figured out people I trusted were all telling lies. For nothing really. Christmas is about the baby cheesus!!

Of course they had stockings and presents, but having them from parents, friends and relatives was just as lovely

I agree it is just as lovely having presents from family and friends but I also think it's lovely when children believe FC has somehow managed to deliver them.

It's been a long family tradition for DC in my family to open a present from parents Christmas eve, then open the presents from FC on Christmas day, then family and friends presents get opened boxing day. So believing in FC works with our tradition and even after the DC stop believing we still open presents the same way and label them off FC.

My point is every child and their families are different so there's no right or wrong answer whether to tell them or not, it's whatever works for them.

But imo, being a child is the only time we can get away with believing in fairy tales and magic so why spoil that fun.