I think I've broken my child's heart....

[AlphaAlpha]

It sounds dramatic, but I'm bereft.

Thought my 9 year old had gone to bed, so up to my room I go, into the dressing room off the bedroom and retrieve the Santa stocking from the boiler cupboard to shove something in it...

In walks 9 year old.
Saw everything (well the sack and one long wrapped present, the rest are in the bottom)
I let out a noise that can only be described as a feral cat crossed with Michael Jackson.

Yes child is 9, and could possibly have an inkling but I didn't want it this way. They looked crestfallen, claims they didn't see anything, and looked very sheepish going back to bed.

Arse.

Oh no, I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, you only really had a small window left of believing and you kept it going for 9 years- not bad going that! My DD caught me when she was about 7, but still pretends now (at 13!) 😂

I think they do know, but didn't want to believe it.
I know it's silly, but that look that I saw was crushing!

Is there a way you can style it out? Give her the present wrapped she seen as a Christmas Eve present?

My 9 year old seen a tamagotchi I planned on putting in her stocking in the boot, so I’m going to put it in her Christmas Eve box from me instead. She pretended she didn’t see anything but I know she did.

Oh no OP, I’d be feeling the same.

Could you say that you’ve been hiding your presents in there as it’s currently empty. Just make sure the long wrapped present is now from you?

If you have any other DC, could you ask the 9yo not to say where you hide your presents. Pretend it’s your secret hiding place. So you could bring it up like that, just downplay it all and say they made you jump.

Don’t be too hard on yourself 🎄

Ironically, the large wrapped present is the one thing that they've asked for from Santa!

I intend to rewrap it and hope I can find some sort of sack or large card factory bag tomorrow, what a mug!

Aw, style it out. Mention nothing, come Christmas morning, they'll get presents, be delighted, all will be well. My DS spotted his main present around the same age. He wasn't scarred, it didn't spoil the day.

I was going to say the same! I've done this several times over the years with mine 🤣

Anything else that’s the same rough shape as the long present?

or something that could be wrapped weirdly to look the same? Bulked out with bubble wrap/packaging?

then wrap the actual gift differently in different wrap from Santa.

job done!

When she opens the ‘spotted’ present from you just say - you gave me a fright when you seen me with that!!

Going back to the early 60s, I was maybe 7 (poss 6).

Christmas eve and I kinda' knew it was no longer real. I was in the bath with my little sister (so def no more than 7) and I think I was either saying FC wasn't real or questioning it when, through the window I saw a red flashing light (clearly an aeroplane). I believed I saw Santa's sleigh. Mum and Dad's mind put to rest for another year (By which time I definitely didn't believe).

If kids want to believe they can explain away to themselves. (Same way as adults do about other things). If they are ready to move on then the slightest hint will flick the switch.

She probably 'believes' this year - but won't next year AND that is a good thing as there isn't this sudden switch, where everything is crashed at once

I would just say you were getting presents for the family ready. I always say that when im moving presents round the house/locked in the bedroom wrapping 😀

Your DC probably knows anyway, aged 9. It will have been discussed in the school playground. They are probably keeping it going to avoid hurting your feelings (and, if applicable, to avoid spoiling things for any younger children in the family). That's what I was doing by the age of 9.

At 9 they almost certainly know and go along with it for fun and the face was probably more that they had misstepped on the pretence

Yes, I'd think so.

You certainly haven't 'broken her heart'.

Devastated eldest DD found out when she was 5/6 that FC wasn't real. Whilst staying with PIL she overheard her cousin and nanny talking. She never let on to me until she was a teenager that she had found this out. She kept quiet as her sister is 4 years younger than her.

Wrap one present in different paper. That's the one from santa. Think most kids know that presents are from parents, relatives etc as everyone writes on cards what is from whomever.
My dd 7 is getting a "santa" present that we have told her we will never buy as its a load of marketing rubbish.
Hey, ho ho ho. Merry Christmas

Have a nice glass of Baileys

just carry on as Normal. Sounds like they basically knew anyway.

I told mine that Santa did early drop offs for the really good children, it helped spread out the workload

This happened to me as a child and I can report that there weren't really any ill effects OP. I pretended to my dad for years though that I still believed, despite literally bumping into him in the middle of the night en route to the toilet with a stuffed stocking in each hand.

My main memory of it was his response, which was to shout at me in a very harassed way that I'd disturbed Santa on his way in so he'd had to dump and run because he can't be seen by children and it was fortunate that he (dad) had come across the stockings in the hallway to put them on our beds or they'd have been left in a mess downstairs after santa's hasty exit.

It did seem dubious to me at the time but it didn't really spoil any of the fun of the stocking for me or for christmas. I do reckon it's very possible you could get away with it anyway with some quick thinking, rewrapping, or just saying you added to his stocking because santa didn't have any of 'x'. He's probably old enough that he knows or suspects anyway.

Don’t worry! I honestly think many kids pretend they believe in Santa long after they stop doing, so as not to disappoint their parents (I know I did!) 😃

Could you put the presents in a different sack say nothing,even a pillow case. Then pretend " oo I have to deliver this still" so what they saw is for a relative ,friend,homeless etc

Include a letter from santa saying with the weather and strikes you asked mum if you could deliver it early for her to look after?

That’s a good idea. Or else you hear Santa is struggling to deliver big gifts this year because of all the strikes so you bought x gift for your dd. Then juggle your other gifts around or attempt to go and buy something else if the budget allows. Cheap things, which take up space can be a pack of pop tarts or a pack of the mini breakfast cereals.

Not to be mean, but maybe by age 9 they should know to knock before entering someone's private space? It's a useful life skill.

Your child caught you. She’s nine. Rewrapping it is a good idea, imo, because it may reassure her Santa is real, especially if you wrap something of equal size in the original paper and shove it back in the cupboard. but any dialogue about Santa having difficulties delivering big presents etc is unlikely to be believed. She may play along but kids know us, and by 9, in my experience, they know when you are making stuff up.