The Santa Myth

[Debbie7612]

My son is 6 and my guilt is starting to pile over this elaborate parents/ teachers conspiracy.

When do kids find out the truth and any idea if they’ll be alright/ how do we break it to them?

Calm down. I worked it out when I was eight, I didn’t think there had been a conspiracy, and I was a kid who loved the idea of Santa. Keeping the magic up for kids is a nice thing. Don’t feel guilty about it.

My two asked for the truth at 5yo and we gave it to them.

They were absolutely fine. Our Christmases since have still been lovely and they still hang stockings.

But then we never “pushed” Santa. Never visited a commercial Santa, never ever said “Santa won’t come if you are naughty”

He is only 6, what's the rush? I never told my now adult DCs. They grew up untraumatised and Santa still leaves them presents under the tree

We have never had that conversation. Our girls are 19 and 13 and of course they know Santa has always been us but they love the magic of it so we still do stockings and carrots and mince pies for Santa.

Mine worked it out for themselves as they matured, and the wide-eyed belief gradually transitioned into a sort of fond wry humour. We still do stockings, put out mince pie/sherry/carrot etc.

Never occurred to me that it was an ethical dilemma until I learned on MN about kids having full-on existential crises when they realised all the adults in their lives were filthy stinking liars. It didn't happen for us