Page 2 | What age did your dc figure out Santa?

Soubriquet · 2021-09-04T05:16:45+00:00

Ds is 6, and was talking about christmas the other day (his favourite topic) He actually came out with “I know who Santa really is. It’s you.” “What do you mean? Where do the toys come from then?” “You go to the shop, buy them, wrap them up and then put them under the tree” “Have you ever seen the presents in the house before Christmas?” “….no?” “Well then. That’s cos Santa has them” He didn’t believe me and has now pretty much figured it out Dd (8) was gobsmacked. Never knew a thing. Such a shame

whichone347 · 04/09/2021 08:45

@MissyB1

Ds is clearly a bit of a late developer, he was 10 when I suspect he worked it out, he still won’t say it out loud to us though (he’s 12 now!), he likes to carry on pretending.

This is exactly like my dd.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 04/09/2021 08:47

@Hellocatshome

DS was 4 or 5. He just came and told me Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny aren't real.

HOLD ON! I obviously knew about Santa and the Tooth Fairy not being real but don't tell me the Easter Bunny has been made up too?

This bloody Government, it's one thing after another. They'll probably say Leprechauns don't exist next!

DontTellThemYourNamePike · 04/09/2021 08:55

A lot of parents seem to decide that, as soon as their child starts expressing doubt, they should tell them the truth. As I mentioned upthread, my eldest was almost 12 when I decided to just tell him, but that doesn't mean he hadn't previously raised an eyebrow at the logistics of distributing presents etc. They all do. But he seemed to satisfy himself by ruminating over different time zones - and cloning was mentioned🤣🤣 He was pretty young when he decided all this and never questioned it again, even though I would have hoped he'd have worked it out by the time he got to about 10. He just didn't. And I decided not to disavow him of his belief and let it ride for another while!!

GintyMcGinty · 04/09/2021 08:57

My eldest was 10 but pretended for a few years playing it safe.

Pretty sure my 9 year old still believes.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 04/09/2021 09:31

My dd1 was 8 but coming up to 9, when she told me in very matter of fact tones, that she knew Father Christmas was me and daddy, so I might as well admit it.

So I did. While obv. adding not to dare say a word to dd2 or any other children who still believed.

When she was in her early 20s she told me she’d been absolutely dying for me to deny it, so she could go on believing a little longer! So I really wished I’d said something like, ‘Well, if you don’t believe in him, maybe he won’t come.’

(Never mind that FC always comes to everyone sleeping in this house on Christmas Eve, regardless of age.)

ShingleBeach · 04/09/2021 09:40

About 4.

It didn’t matter, traditions are fun in and of themselves. We still put out stockings, presents in a sack, reindeer food etc.

NavigatingAdolescence · 04/09/2021 09:51

We’ve never made out Santa is real or hyped it up at all. (We don’t really do Xmas though.). DD is very sciency and learned about the speed of light at about 6. Within a week she had proven to herself that Santa was a physical impossibility. She understands that others believe though so hasn’t shared her findings with other classmates. (She’s nearly 11.)

Antsinyourpanta · 04/09/2021 09:54

I think I believed in FC way longer than my friends at school (I'm not sure why I didnt believe them when they all said its its their parents ) I asked my mum (probably when I was about 8 or 9) and she even said what do you want to believe. .?

I felt really disappointed when DD found out, like it was a bit less magic (I know that's really sad of me!!) but almost relieved to tell DS so I no longer have to do 2 sets of presents , although I'll still do a stocking.

kaleidoscopeheartless · 04/09/2021 09:55

9

Beakerandbungle · 04/09/2021 10:34

donttell I think this is definitely true about lots of children when first questioning not really wanting the truth. My eldest went through a phase at about 5/6 with questions then seemed to full get on board with believing again from my vague answers.. Even though my youngest has expressed doubts we will still ‘do’ Santa ( and no doubt for a long time).

My youngest is much more matter of fact so I suspect he can’t let it go in the way my eldest can.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 04/09/2021 11:52

@Antsinyourpanta

I think I believed in FC way longer than my friends at school (I'm not sure why I didnt believe them when they all said its its their parents

) I asked my mum (probably when I was about 8 or 9) and she even said what do you want to believe. .?

I felt really disappointed when DD found out, like it was a bit less magic (I know that's really sad of me!!) but almost relieved to tell DS so I no longer have to do 2 sets of presents , although I'll still do a stocking.

Me too - I remember arguing with other kids about it! I was well aware from a very young age of money being extremely tight, so my argument was mostly that my folks couldn’t have afforded the presents! Not that we ever had very much, but always a very satisfyingly bulging big stocking, plus of course the magical excitement/anticipation.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 04/09/2021 11:56

I honestly can’t remember how old I was when I stopped believing but I did think they would be older than 6

However all the technology and social media and all that crap causes kids to grow up quicker which probably helps them losing the magic

OP posts:

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 04/09/2021 12:05

I think its overhyped so much these days it can make it unbelievable... an elf visiting your house that you can't touch, Santa Cams, multiple visits, Christmas markets, special breakfasts...

Whereas when I was young you saw Santa at the local shopping centre or school fair, and he delivered presents on Christmas day.

Original poster

Soubriquet · 04/09/2021 12:06

That probably doesn’t help either no

I don’t do shelf on the elf. He’s a creepy little shit

Don’t have Santa cams

We’ve done a couple of Christmas markets but not much and we try to do a Santa visit but it’s not always possible. When we do it is just the once

OP posts:

3GreenPullups · 04/09/2021 12:18

11 here. DS first of all started enquiring gently about the tooth fairy. Then the conversation moved on as he raised the issue of Santa. Then he asked what the T and Q means in LGBTQ meant. All in the one car drive home from school one day. I was truly exhausted when we got home.

Bootskates · 04/09/2021 12:19

DD is 7 in November and I think this may be our last proper year of believing. She has already questioned things when younger but where younger kids will believe anything Mummy/Daddy/Grandparents say, I think that is fading somewhat.

She has her doubts about the tooth fairy already but I think she will play along when she loses her next tooth just for the coin.

turboface · 04/09/2021 13:33

Ds(11). And in year 7 still believes. He has questioned it but we just said you can believe in him if you want. Dd(9) believes solidly.

Hellocatshome · 04/09/2021 13:36

Ds(11). And in year 7 still believes if you think it would be an issue for him to hear teachers say things like "obviously we all know Santa isn't real" or such things I would rectify this before it gets any closer to Christmas

Mommabear20 · 04/09/2021 13:52

I'm 27, still don't believe people that say he's not real! 😂

Just to clarify, I don't believe in a man in a red coat and bears who flies around with reindeer, but I do believe in the magic that Santa brings. I'm the favourite in the family at Christmas with all the kids as I still believe like a child and they truly believe because they see that I believe.

Explosivefarts · 04/09/2021 14:04

7

Bbq1 · 04/09/2021 14:11

I myself was 10 and it was a huge blow because I figured out that fairies weren't real at the same time. My ds is 16 and never came out and said it but he claims he worked it out at about 8 but kept it going for us a bit longer!

katemuff · 04/09/2021 14:17

Mine are 18 and 16 and firmly 'believe'. If any younger smarty pants start saying he doesn't exist they immediately protest and defend their true beliefs as true believers. I think it might be because my DM has a rule that if you believe you get a stocking (pillow case) and if you don't you don't. I kept it up. It's funny nonsense and as atheists it is an important part of the tradition and culture of our Christmas.

katemuff · 04/09/2021 14:17

My DS did turn around when he was 6 and declare the toothfairy - utterly ridiculous though.

NavigatingAdolescence · 04/09/2021 17:46

@katemuff

Mine are 18 and 16 and firmly 'believe'. If any younger smarty pants start saying he doesn't exist they immediately protest and defend their true beliefs as true believers. I think it might be because my DM has a rule that if you believe you get a stocking (pillow case) and if you don't you don't. I kept it up. It's funny nonsense and as atheists it is an important part of the tradition and culture of our Christmas.

Sounds remarkably like the very religious “be good and you’ll get into heaven” form of crowd control to me. You haven’t really given them any option for critical thinking there, have you?!

NavigatingAdolescence · 04/09/2021 17:47

@katemuff

My DS did turn around when he was 6 and declare the toothfairy - utterly ridiculous though.

DD has always point blank refused to acknowledge any fairy that would want children’s teeth. She’s kept every single one safe in a jar so that she can decide what happens to them.