At what age did your children stop believing in Father Christmas?

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What age did your children find out about Santa?

Just that really. Trying to work out how many more years I have left with my oldest!

When mine were 7 and 8 I made a comment "If you believe in Santa and put your stocking out, and treats for him and the reindeer on Xmas Eve, you get presents, that's how it works" (DS was panicking Santa wouldn't come because teh weather was very very wet (in fact it flooded locally on boxing day)). They remembered and now still say they believe in Santa to the point of arguing with anyone who doesn't (in a humorous way) put a stocking out and get presents. In 2022 I got a stocking of presents for the first time in over 20 years 😂4 grown adults drunkenly sneaking/staggering about on Xmas eve 😂😂its ridiculous and cringeworthy but utterly joyful 😂

Year 6 I think is a good time to cut it.

Such a shame though.
But life moves on. It doesn't mean they stop enjoying Christmas you just have to change things up a bit. X

I had to tell my dd when she was 11yo (she was upset 😢)

After year 6 I always joked with mine well if you don't believe he might not come.

All in their 20's now still get a stocking from Santa albeit with alcohol and a scratch card in but he still comes !
X

Mine are 25. 23, 20 and 18, I'm assuming they still believe. We never discussed it and they still have stockings. If you don't believe you don't receive.

I never made a big fuss about it so my children were quite young to stop believing. Having to explain to a ten year old there is no Father Christmas is insane.

My older ones asked for confirmation in the spring/ summer after their last Christmas as believers aged 10 (I’m sure they had doubts for that last Christmas but went with it). My youngest is 8 and I’m hoping for one last Christmas, I think it’s unlikely we’ll hit 9 believing. If we need to confess I just don’t want to do Oct- Dec!

I told DS just before he started secondary school. I didn't want him finding out at school. I think he probably told DD.

Around 9-10ish. If it had gone beyond that, I would have had a chat prior to secondary school.

DS is 8 and has been questioning for a few years now because he's likely autistic and the logic just isn't logic-ing for him.

DD on the other hand!!! Is 3 and 100% convinced of the big red man. We saw a kite flying at sunset the other week and it looked vaguely like Santa's sleigh and she will not stop mentioning that we saw Santa and the reindeer 🥰

I doubt either of them will believe past the age of 9 which means this is probably the last year I'll get to do Santa for both of them but DS will be a fantastic Santa for his little sister and I can't wait to see him step up to help create that magic for her!

Same here - we celebrate Sinterklaas but I doubt they believed in Father Christmas - just went along with the tradition.

I’ve never discussed it. The elves still bring my 20 & 17 to their advent calendar and we still put a mince pie and milk out 🤷🏼‍♀️

(However, I remember knowing when they “knew” and I thought it was the saddest thing that would ever happen to their childhood. There was so much more to come 😭)

My ds was 8

14 year old only just admitted she doesn’t believe this year, although I suspect she has probably played a long with it for a couple of years. 11 year old still believes.

7ish but first questioned it at 3

Omg, I was ok about the prospect of my eldest (10) not believing soon until reading this! 😭❤️

My eldest is 7 and I'm bracing myself. But I also endured many 'last Christmas as a believer ' with my siblings children only for them to continue until told otherwise so might have 4 more years!

I like this as a way to be prepared for the question/conversation though

scarborough.mumbler.co.uk/the-dreaded-question-is-santa-real/

My two, 11 and 13, absolutely don't believe but will absolutely insist they do because in this house Santa gives stockings to everyone who believes, no matter how old they are

I have a little bit of a problem with how Santa works in some families. The whole "they believed until 10-11 years old, and then I told them and they were so upset."

For me, that means that either your child is incredibly unquestioning (unlikely) or that the parents have been way to forceful and pushy on Santa being real (more likely)

I don't think it is the child's fault. From what I've seen, its more a modern trend of parents creating a world in which Santa IS REAL!" no ifs or buts or possible magic/story telling, he IS real. They see Santa as a kid.. footsteps in the house, no mistakes or slip-ups from parents, he is absolutely real.

Of course a trusting kid will believe it fully.

For me, its much better if you aren't perfect with how you do Santa... there should be mistakes and slip-ups..

Times when you say "last year I bought you" oops... no Santa did...
Oh.. Santa uses the same wrapping paper as mummy...
Huh, the price is on one of the gifts..
Yeah that garden center Santa does have a fake beard
Why are the adults having a giggle/wink to each other when we talk about Santa this year?
Why cant I look in that drawer in December...

etc.

Its all the little clues that they will be oblivious about ages 0-5/6, but then from around that age to 8-10 they will pick up on it more and more, and naturally question it, and gradually come to the realization of what is going on. You never need to have the "chat", they just learn it on their own, and "play along" because they have learned what the game is now...

But that would be ruining the magic for some on here. Better keep them in the story completely until 10, not give them the chance to use their brains, and then break their heart when they are older.

Yeah I did realise at one point aged about 7/8 that maybe I’d done it all a bit too well and I needed to be a bit more careless!

DS is nearly 11, he had his doubts about it all aged 5... but last week in bed he concluded father Christmas must be real as I'm always surprised at the things he gets in his stocking (I'll await my Oscar, thank you) and we have nowhere to keep the cardboard colour in houses that appear in the living room on Christmas morning... I might take him into hobbycraft and walk down by the flat pack houses to see if he clicks..

Plenty of year 7s still believe. Yes usually those with SEND but the odd one without.

To reassure anybody who needs it, I've never known students be teased for it. Most DC are kind.

Cant remember what ages our DS’s were but our DD was around 6
She said to me-“Father Christmas isn't real and those red lights that flash in the front room are not his elves watching me, they are for the house alarm!”
She might have worked it all out by herself but I have a feeling her DB told her ( he’s 8 years older) and was a bit bitchy at age 14!
I was almost 50 at the time, tired and I replied-you’re right but please don't tell your friends