Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

What age do children find out about Santa?

43 replies

Feellikerubbish · 28/04/2014 13:56

We have a 6 year old and was thinking of when to take him to lapland. He turns 7 this November and at the moment still very much believes in Santa.

I have heard some kids find out the truth by 9 and some earlier and some later and just wanted to hear from you all and find out an average!

OP posts:
ilovepowerhoop · 28/04/2014 14:13

ds is asking me awkward questions already and he is 7

FreeSpirit89 · 10/05/2014 14:05

DS is 4 and still believes.

DSD is 6 and getting a lil suspicious

Ewieindwie1 · 10/05/2014 14:17

Keep it going as long as you can but by year 6 they know

ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen · 10/05/2014 14:25

It wasn't a sudden thing, more a case of gradually becoming suspicious about the whole set-up, but these were the ages:

Me: 8
DS1: 9
DS2: 7
DS3: 9
DD: still believes, aged 9.

lunar1 · 15/05/2014 21:41

Ds1 is 5 and said he didn't think FC was real and they it was just us that bought presents and the people dressed up were actors. He has been suitably threatened not to repeat this to his friends and little brother.

TheBuskersDog · 26/05/2014 16:21

My son worked it out at 5 because there was no way he could get to all the houses in the world in one night.

Guitargirl · 26/05/2014 16:31

I think I was about 8ish? DD, aged 7 started asking questions last year - much to DS's (age 5) horror...We went to Lapland UK last Christmas and that seemed to convince her for the time being. We are going to Finnish Lapland this Christmas so am hoping that she holds out until after that. She will turn 8 in January.

craftynclothy · 26/05/2014 16:48

Dd is 7 and she started questioning it a little after Xmas. I think some people in her class had said he's not real. She was also confused because one of her presents was a blanket I'd made. She now still believes in Santa but also believes I'm an elf Grin

HelpMeGetOutOfHere · 26/05/2014 16:51

Dd was 8 in March and appeared to still believe last Christmas. I'm kind if hoping this year is the year she stops believing as we are away for Christmas and can only take one or two presents as we will be limited on luggage space.

I think even if he didn't believe he'd still have a great time.

sunnydaylucy · 01/07/2014 18:50

I am genuinely surprised by the answers to this thread.
DD1: just 12, has questioned but never been confirmed by me! I think she is keeping the act going for her sisters.
DD2: 9. Completely believes, did question a bit last year but let it go, with the threat of no presents!
DD3: 6 (nearly 7) still believes.

They are all bright kids, in the top end of their classes. So not easily fooled I wouldn't have thought? We have always had some presents from us and some from FC, so they have never questioned certain gifts that they were expecting! Perhaps I still believe... Wink

mummymeister · 03/07/2014 11:39

as soon as they leave junior and go to senior school it is definitely over by then. I would go sooner rather than later just in case someone says anything.

Showy · 03/07/2014 11:43

I never believed and neither does dd. She is 7. I think we just played it down. Father Christmas is a story in this house, like Baboushka and the Wise Men and other tales we tell. It's not a big part of our Christmas tbh. I'd say half her class believe.

Provencalroseparadox · 03/07/2014 12:15

DS is 8 and he still believed last Christmas; however, he recently told me that his friend thinks Santa isn't real. Friend has 2 older siblings. Am sad that it may be over for DS.

SoldeInvierno · 10/07/2014 19:21

DS was about 5. He worked it out and we just confirmed the truth to him. He still gets ridiculously excited over xmas though

FloozeyLoozey · 10/07/2014 19:27

Ds was 5/6. He worked it out and confirmed it. I always find it a bit strange when you have children older than 7 who believe in it. I usually think they have worked it out but just pretend to their parents. I can't imagine being in a household where kid are fed such far fetched lies for years on end.

Supermum222 · 11/07/2014 18:24

My son is 10 and he is doubtful about the Santa issue. He has said that his friends at school have told him that Santa isn't real but he is worried he won't get anything if he stops 'believing'.
I have a 6 year old too who firmly believes in Santa. I hope the eldest doesn't spoil it for her.

Kerrygirl01 · 25/07/2014 14:16

I just answered my children truthfully when asked straight out if real or not. But my dd still wanted to think him real.

RumPunch · 25/07/2014 14:20

DD is nearly 8 and still believes.

Floralnomad · 25/07/2014 14:22

Mine always knew it was just a fun story ,it didn't/ doesn't make Christmas any less special .

picnicbasketcase · 25/07/2014 14:23

I hope there aren't any small children reading over their parents shoulders seeing the title of thread.

morethanpotatoprints · 25/07/2014 14:28

Hello OP, we kept it going until dd was 10 and told her a couple of months ago.
She had asked questions from about 7/8 but if you have a good imagination you can always come up with something, so they needn't know if you don't want them to.
Our older dc were maybe a year older, they were y6 at school and dd y5.
My dsis dd believed even more strongly having been to Lapland, so you never know Grin

number1daddy · 07/11/2014 09:34

my son is five and a half and probably believes now more than ever. he's got a list ready too. I can't remember with me but I have always kept the tradition going when around kids

JennyBlueWren · 05/12/2014 12:42

I was an imaginative child and sort of half believed to the age of 11. I wasn't surprised/heartbroken though when I discovered the stash of presents in my parents' room and took my (9yo) brother through to see what he was getting for Christmas. Confirmed both our suspicions. We didn't tell our parents though as we still enjoyed it.

I don't think there has to be an actual cut off "he is not real" point. Some children will be suspicious/know but enjoy it all the same. I personally don't believe in making a big fuss about Father Christmas and how real he is as that makes it more fake. Just put out the mince pie an carrots as a matter of course and leave a mess of crumbs for the morning -children come to their own conclusions. And who else would have left all these presents?

RhinestoneCowgirl · 05/12/2014 12:47

DS is 8, he asked me directly last year so I told him the truth, he had suspicions the year before but I gave sufficiently vague answers and he was excited by his full stocking (so would have been 6.5yrs)

DD is just coming up to 6 and is full in the swing of belief, she loves the whole idea of it.

I have asked DS to keep quiet and not spoil it for her.

But then we don't go overboard on FC in this house, we do the rituals of putting mince pie out and snacks for the reindeer and then he fills a stocking full of small presents. All the rest of the presents come from us and other family and friends, and are labelled as such.

merlehaggard · 07/12/2014 19:21

My experience, is right at the end of primary.

Swipe left for the next trending thread