How to tell daughter Santa isn't real?

[katiewil]

I have a 10 year old DD.. she is going into high school next year so I want to prepare her by explaining that Santa isn't real, but I also don't want her to lose the excitement and magic of Christmas? Any advice on how I do this? I'm so scared of ruining Christmas for her, but I also don't want her going into high school believing in Santa as I know how mean kids can be :(
Any advice appreciated

I have a 10 year old also and she is 11 in February. I don't think she believes he's real but we said last year the magic can continue as long as she wants it to so she said he is. She stopped believing in the tooth fairy about 2 years before she told us earlier this year lol. She really wound us up over that one as was asking for photos and stuff. I'm not going to tell her as such.

@Angrycat2768 just a stocking here with a well thought out smaller gift that is one the “list” but keeps the magic alive!

I’m always so shocked how late some kids seem to believe, especially in this hyper connected and cynical world, as I’d figured it was a crock when I was five.

That said, we never felt the need to talk about it, we all still peddle the man, the myth, the legend. My septuagenarian father is the first one up yelling ‘he’s been!’ and rounding up the grandchildren. I have three older siblings, all with kids, so there’s a lot of us to round up.

I’m always so shocked how late some kids seem to believe, especially in this hyper connected and cynical world, as I’d figured it was a crock when I was five.

I suspect it's the parents who still want to believe their innocent child still believes and the kids keeping quiet that yhey know so the presents don't stop.

Three DD’s all tweens and teens now…

I’ve never admitted Santa isn’t real and never will…

Do they still think believe their is such as thing as an old man that can get round all the children in the world delivering presents in one night, absolutely not…

Would they ever discuss him with their peers, of course not…

Do they still get excited by the elf moving from A to B, the rustle of the stocking on the bottom of their bed and the long wait while we check “if he’s been” absolutely!!!

You keep the magic alive by keeping things the same, high school kids have good self preservation skills they will work out that Christmas at home and in School are two different things!

I always think that when a child starts to question the existence of Santa, the doubt is already there,.
It's part of childhood, a lovely story to make Christmas wonderful for children

I suspect it's the parents who still want to believe their innocent child still believes and the kids keeping quiet that yhey know so the presents don't stop.

Not for me. I still believed at 12! (I was quite a young 12 though, and I really really wanted to believe)

That said, I wasn't daft. I knew others didn't believe and would think it babyish to still believe. So, at school, I pretended I didn't believe. I would use an exaggerated 'wink-wink, nudge-nudge' or sarcastic tone when I talked about presents 'Santa' brought me or having to be good because the 'elves are watching' as I figured this would cover all bases - peers would assume I didn't believe and I was just joking and being daft, and the elves wouldn't put me on the naughty list for not believing.