When did you stop believing in Santa?

[Christian T]

A bit of a sad topic, I know, but I'm curious to hear of people's experiences with this classic childhood myth.

I can remember that when I was nine it just suddenly clicked that there was a high possibility it was a lovely little game that my parents were playing with me, and, in one quick question, cleared away the illusion of the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the big red man himself.

What about you? What was your relationship with jolly old Saint Nick? And, for those of you who are blessed with a child of your own, what has it been like for them?

 

[buckyboy14]

What a coincidence; I was thinking about creating a thread like this.

My mom never actually admitted it to me until I was about 12, but I knew a couple years before that. However, I feel that the entire concept of lying to one's child to them for their entire childhood is despicable. I was extremely angry at my mom when I learned she was lying to me all these years, and she keeps saying that "kids need an element of magic in their lives" and "it's fun to believe" and things like that. I find that utterly ridiculous. I once told my cousin (who was about two at the time) that Santa didn't exist, and her parents and mine were FURIOUS. She didn't listen to me anyway, but now, I don't say anything when the subject of Santa (or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy) is brought up. I will not "play along."

 

[WildCat]

It became obvious at around 12. I mean, eventually you learn to use logic and ditch those fantastic, magical thoughts, and that's exactly what happened. Can Santa travel down a flaming hot chimney without so much as a scar? Will physics allow his reindeer to take flight from a standstill? Don't think so.

Funny this thread was made...I would think that more affected autistics would retain this kind of unrealistic thinking, and I've seen a handful of videos that attest to this. Not saying anyone here; obviously the opposite is the case in this thread. I know this is the off topic section, but I couldn't help but bring that up.

Yeah, it's nice to believe in magic when you're younger but eventually you need a dose of reality to straighten things out.

 

[consultingrodent]

i think i was about 7ish. i just remember one day getting underwear from 'santa' and thought that 1. that was weird that this old man new what size undies i wore and 2. his handwriting looked suspiciously like my grandmothers haha

 

[Arashi222]

I was 14yrs old. My sister my younger NT sister whom I love dearly ruined them all in the same year, Santa, Easter bunny, tooth fairy, everything a child believes in. Mind she is only 2yrs my younger but she knew things long before I even understood them. It was horrid I cried for weeks about it. I was so upset about the whole thing and I still I think believe in a lot of magical thinking or more apt fantastical thinking as usually displayed by my dolls.

 

[. . .]

I'm almost certain I never believed in Santa. If I ever did believe in him, it would have been in my early single-digit years -- a period which I've very little recollection of.

While I either never believed in Santa or stopped believing him at a very young age, my mom tried convincing me that he was real up until I was about 11 or so. :unsure:

 

[Christian T]

I think it's alright if the child figures it out themselves, understands their parents' intentions and is let down gently - as I was. I think it's ridiculous if a parent tries to deny it if the child works it out, like with buckyboy14. I'm so sorry to hear that you were so distraught Arashi222. Oh, and consultingrodent, the handwriting was the killer for our family as well, especially for my younger siblings. My parents made lots of mistakes like my dad suddenly saying "oh, wow Helen, where did you get that?" to my mum when my brother was opening his present. He stopped believing not long after, at 10 years old.

 

[Kelly]

I always questioned the reality of santa, the usual..how can he be in two places at once(different shopping centres), we don't have a chimney how can he get in? Why do these presents say love from mum/dad/auntie/etc if santa brought them? How come he gets presents(my brother) when he's ALWAYS naughty?

I must have been around 7 so my brother was around 10 when he just came out and said it wasn't real and to wait up and I'd see my mum and dad sneak into the room. I just came out and asked them and they told me the truth, I don't recall being upset or anything it was more a case of 'I knew it!' and thinking back to all the obvious signs and the poor excuses my parents had given me to my questions.

My husband and I do not follow any kind of religion and do not celebrate any religious holidays. When our daughter was born there was a bit of a 'what do we do' situation because we didn't want to celebrate but we also didn't feel right imposing our beliefs(or lack of) onto our daughter. Coupled with the grandparents etc wanting to buy her xmas gifts we decided that whilst she was young we would play it by ear and do things our way and when she was older and had more understanding she could choose what she wanted to do. So we went along with that, the grandparents etc etc get her gifts but we don't, we have always told her the truth about santa and it doesn't bother her in the slightest. Now she's older and makes more of her own choices she sometimes chooses to decorate her room with a tree etc and she always goes to see santa at the garden centre, she knows he's not real but she still finds it magical and exciting.

She has asked us a few times why other parents lie to their children about santa and that she thinks it's mean to do so etc etc but we just explain the idea behind it, that's it's supposed to be a bit of fun but also a way for alot of parents to keep their kids in line i.e if your naughty santa won't bring you any gifts, we've also explained the commercial side of it to her and how the modern day santa image came about, she found it very interesting but bizarre at the same time.

It's the same with the tooth fairy, easter bunny etc she knows that none of them are real but she still finds the idea magical. She does however believe in fairies now because of her birthday party and my glitter trails / tiny notes to her.

 

[Christian T]

Kelly, I think you are creating a truly wonderful environment for your children.

As I see Christmas. there are many non-religious people who still celebrate it, though, and just treat it as "the Season of Goodwill" a time of generosity and love, so I don't really think Christmas is all that important in terms of religious upbringing. It's certainly not just a purely religious celebration anymore.

I too wouldn't have been involved in nearly as many religious celebrations if it wasn't for my traditional grandparents.

About shopping centres, I always thought he could split himself up into many different Santas with magic. And the creation of the modern-day myth is a very curious story of how all those elements, such as St Nicholas, came together.

 

[Kelly]

Kelly, I think you are creating a truly wonderful environment for your children.

Thanks, we're trying our best, just have to see how she turns out.

As I see Christmas. there are many non-religious people who still celebrate it, though, and just treat it as "the Season of Goodwill" a time of generosity and love, so I don't really think Christmas is all that important in terms of religious upbringing. It's certainly not just a purely religious celebration anymore.

I don't see it like that at all, the non-religious people who celebrate it I see getting into huge debt, lots of stress, horrendous shopping trips and everyone seems so miserable and for what? One day in an entire year it's madness to me. That's just what I have experienced though, when I was a child my mother would literally cry and stress out if my brother and I didn't have at least 30 presents each as a result she was constantly in debt and always working. Now with my daughter she is apologetic and upset because she 'only' got her 12 presents or 'only' gave her ?100 despite my protests that it doesn't matter a colouring book and pens would make her happy. It's not just her though I hear parents in the playground talking and it seems a common theme, buy ridiculous amounts of gifts, food etc get into mounting debt all because that is what is expected, the perfect christmas with the perfect meal and endless gifts, parties and 'goodwill'.

Religious people who truly have/know the 'meaning of christmas' i.e time with your family, appreciating what you do have etc have the right idea. All the non-religious people I've come across who celebrate christmas go into some kind of spending frenzy every year and it doesn't make them any happier and they seem to hate spending any time with their family (extended that is), moan about the endless christmas bashes(because they have to buy another bottle of wine, or more present swapping or a new outfit).

Just from my point of view it makes people so miserable for so many weeks and then they have one 'happy' day in which they spend time with people they don't like stuffing themselves until they are sick and giving presents they can't really afford, I just don't get it :unsure:

 

[Christian T]

Kelly, I cannot deny that for many non-religious people, Christmas has become a giant commercial, corrupt monster, but I actually also know quite a few of them for whom Christmas is simply a happy family celebration, including my immediate family. If you choose to go down the idiotic path of all those materialistic social obligations, then Christmas will be spoiled for you. If you don't, there is much about it to enjoy.

 

[Kelly]

If you choose to go down the idiotic path of all those materialistic social obligations, then Christmas will be spoiled for you. If you don't, there is much about it to enjoy.

I agree but like I said unfortunately the people I have come across are very materialistic or appear that way from what they say.

 

[Selcouth]

I figured it out when I was about six... logic dictated that there was no way Santa could deliver presents to the entire world in one night, and our house's chimney, I knew for a fact, was stoppered. Also, when I saw presents with the tag saying "Santa", it was in my mother's handwriting. Plus, I quickly realized it was just a ploy to get me to behave excessively well for the couple of days before Christmas, and one thing I hate is lies or tricks to get me to do something. So I wasn't shocked.

 

[rolo]

When I was five-I decided to wait up for him-he decided never to return. End of! A total bastard replaced him.

 

[Christian T]

Oh no! That's just what I was afraid would have happened! What have I done? :laugh:

 

[Christian T]

Plus, I quickly realized it was just a ploy to get me to behave excessively well for the couple of days before Christmas, and one thing I hate is lies or tricks to get me to do something.

Hah! Good thing my parents never enforced the "naughty or nice" rule, but I've always hated such deceptions too, like the way those careless teachers of mine ratcheted up my aspie stress levels with their sensationalised ghost stories about high school. I'll never forgive them for it.

But, yes, for some children the truth of the great charade is extremely aggravating, but I'm glad you took it well.

 

[Csutelan]

I stopped when I had kids and realized that now it was my turn to be him.

 

[Cerulean]

I had my first moment of disbelief whenever we went to the second mall with the fake Santa. I think we only have one picture of me on Santa's lap and I look like I'm about to cry because mom why did you put me on this strange man's lap and everyone's staring at me ahhhh!
Then a couple years later when I started doing the math of course I realized it's not possible. If I have a kid I intend to present it the same as any other fairy tale or religion- some people believe in this, some don't, either way is OK with me. There was no worse feeling for me as a kid than that my parents had lied to me.

 

[Geordie]

I had never believed in Santa Claus, other than it being the guy with the red coat in the mall giving out sweets or other treats

 

[Margaretha]

when I was 4 my family moved across country. My dad took all our furniture and stuff in a homemade trailer. My mom and brother and I took a train. I sat next to the window and watched as the train passed through towns, farms, prairies, wooded areas, one after another without end until we reached the east coast. I was so impressed by how big the world was that I stopped believing in Santa because I knew he could never deliver toys to the whole world in one night, much less carry them all on his sleigh, even if reindeer could fly.