Kid yelling Santa isn’t real at a Christmas party

129 replies

blipblopblip · 19/12/2025 19:55

So I took my 5 year old old to a Christmas party for age 3-8 , parents were to stay to watch their children. Santa came towards the end which we were not expecting, my daughter still believes. A slightly older child kept shouting Santa wasn’t real for a prolonged time 5 mins ish . Parents did nothing, staff were uncomfortable and tried to shush him. Honestly I feel so angry that the parents thought it was acceptable for him to try to ruin the magic for younger children. My daughter is very upset and keeps questioning me now. I know if it was my child I’d definitely have taken them out of the room and told them that if they were going to ruin the magic for others they don’t deserve a gift. I’m not a perfect parent but I find more and more occasions where it seems like there is no parenting going on. I have 3 children and she is my middle so I don’t think I am being precious but this evening I’m feeling so cross. Am I being unfair, is this normal parenting?

OP posts:

FigTreeInEurope · 21/12/2025 15:14

BillyBites · 21/12/2025 13:13

I think the pp who suggested telling them that that Father Christmas isn’t real (because the real one is too busy) has the right idea.
That said, I think that we have children believing in him for much longer than years ago. I wonder if this is in part because we have made it so much more realistic with trips to Lapland and AI reels and images?
As a teacher in the mid 80s, I don’t recall many (if any) kids still believing by KS2. Nowadays, we would breathe a word about it at any point up to Year 6, just in case.
I can’t remember when my own kids twigged. I do know that my elder one hedged his bets by pretending to, just in case it adversely affected his present haul.

So few situations in life where parents would actively encourage other parents to cover up a lie with a lie.

Vivi0 · 21/12/2025 17:15

MasterBeth · 21/12/2025 15:05

It is ridiculous to equate belief in Santa to religious belief. No sane adult believes Santa is real. It’s just a story we tell children who, by the age of 7 or 8, are usually able to work out that it’s not true.

”Respecting the belief” of an infant who believes that Santa exists, or the Tooth Fairy exists or that their teddy bear comes to life and talks to them at night, is categorically different to the respect we give to adults. We don’t mock them, but we gently educate them over time that they are wrong.

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It’s really not that ridiculous.

I’m an atheist and don’t see any difference in believing in Santa or believing in God.

At least the person who Santa is based on actually existed at one point. And children only believe in him for such a short time, not a life time.

That said, I would be mortified and extremely disappointed if my child obnoxiously stood up in class and announced “God doesn’t really exist, it’s just something adults make up to make themselves feel better about dying”. I’m raising my children to be respectful, not of the belief, but of people in general. It’s really not that difficult.

QuickPeachPoet · 22/12/2025 10:48

SweetnsourNZ · 21/12/2025 13:12

They probably only have the 7-8 year Olds there as they come with younger siblings. Most older children are very good about keeping the Santa secret as it makes them feel grown up. This child sounds like a brat to be honest as mist parents would have shut him down very quickly.
I still remember the time my dad played Santa at a works Christmas party and my sister and I had to stay quiet at that age. Unfortunately my 4 year old sister recognized him and we quickly shut her down with the Santa's helper line. Luckily the other kids ignored her, but we were only young ourselves and managed it, so surely this boy's parent could have.

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they are probably those types who think their child's bad behaviour is 'cute' and 'funny'

PennyLaneisinmyheartandmysoul · 22/12/2025 11:44

Vivi0 · 21/12/2025 12:27

But he is important. In our culture.

Other cultures who do not celebrate him are completely irrelevant. They have their own tradition as and festivals.

Would you tell followers of any other culture that a specific tradition they follow is “unimportant in the grand scheme of things?”

Such weird behaviour. Honestly.

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This. Wonder if they’d go to a Dias de los Muertes celebration in Mexico and start shouting “they’re all just in fancy dress, this is a total farce, you’re all ridiculous watch in it and taking part!!!”

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