[NF] How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa?

[Laurie]

I don't remember, I do know that the adults (ISFJ step mom) seemed to enjoy the whole "santa" thing more than we did, we still get presents from "santa." I was the 4th of 6 kids so I think I knew earlier than I probably would have without older siblings.

I knew someone who once was embarrassed because their parents told them that santa was real and they argued with people at school because their parents would never lie to them. I tell my kids around kindergarten age because I don't want them to be embarrassed about that kind of thing. I also think any younger is a bit confusing for the kid, they aren't really old enough to get it either way.

I just asked my 5 year old preschooler (ESP - 4th child) "who is santa claus?" "You" "Who gives you presents" "You" "Who came to your preschool as santa claus" "You" (It was a male and I was there taking pics) This is why I don't talk to preschoolers about Santa.

 

[Lacey]

My mom never taught me to believe in Santa (or the Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy/etc). She never outright said why, but I think she would have felt uncomfortable lying about something like that. (My mom and I are very similar in that area...valuing truth above all else it seems like.)

Christmas was still pretty magical without Santa. Christmas was about Jesus, and spending time with family. Yeah, it was about presents too, but it was about thoughtful presents. You worked your best to buy/make something for somebody that they would really like, because you loved them. Quality (thought) over quantity (price).

I plan on doing pretty much the same if I have kids...I'm glad I never went through the whole Santa thing.

 

[BlueSprout]

I was suspicious from the very beginning. It didn't seem likely that a bunch of little elves assembling toys by hand at the North Pole had anything to do with toys that were packed in plastic with the words Mattel or Fischer Price and looked just like the ones I had seen in commercials. I don't think I was ever told explicitly, though I got the Easter Bunny isn't real conversation on Easter. I remember being more pissed that my fantasy had been ruined than shocked. I would have been content with not knowing for certain that they didn't exist so that I could pretend a little. I knew it wasn't likely that they were real, but it was nice to think that they might be.

 

[alexx]

What do you mean? I STILL believe in Santa!

 

[GirlFromMars]

What do you mean? I STILL believe in Santa!

That's great.

 

[Lark]

I still believe too.

 

[Night]

23.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

When I was in first grade we lived in a log cabin with a woodstove that had a really skinny stovepipe - maybe six inches in diameter. I knew Santa was chubby, and I did the math.

 

[alexx]

When I was in first grade we lived in a log cabin with a woodstove that had a really skinny stovepipe - maybe six inches in diameter. I knew Santa was chubby, and I did the math.

Ever think maybe it's magic? Like - maybe Santa turns into sand or glitter and sifts though the cracks just to materialize on the other side?

You know - kinda like the Mummy?

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Ever think maybe it's magic? Like - maybe Santa turns into sand or glitter and sifts though the cracks just to materialize on the other side?

You know - kinda like the Mummy?

That explains everything!

 

[Tea-Snob]

When I was 10, the way I used to think of it is this:

I had noticed lots of reasons why Santa (Or Father Christmas as I knew him as a child) was not the one delivering my presents: For instance I knew that we had no Chimney, and the parcel would have my mums handwriting on it etc... However I hadnt really developed the ability (Or you might say the weakness) to correlate the evidence against Santa that was before my eyes - I didnt really see any reason to not think he was real, especially when I didnt LIKE the idea that he wasnt real - were was the fun in that?!

As an adult I still dont have a problem with Santa being real - He is the spirit that represents the holidays, therefore he has spirit like powers (Walking through walls and being able to forge my mums signature). I mean really, if your going to beleive in Aliens, Bigfoot and Health Care reform who am I to judge?

 

[alexx]

I mean really, if your going to beleive in Aliens, Bigfoot and Health Care reform who am I to judge?

LOL nice.

 

[nomadic]

Well, I stopped believing because I outsmarted myself at age 9

I was at Toys R Us with my dad, and I saw a Transformer that I got the year before from Santa.

So low and behold, in all of my suspicious stupor... I would ask my dad... "Dad, so how much was that toy last year?"

And he said " Oh, it was about xxxx"

Me: Oh, so you know because you are Santa huh????

Dad: Laughs, so now that you know, I guess you don't need Santa gifts anymore!


=(

I never got Santa gifts after that...

 

[Tiltyred]

I never believed it -- I always knew it was a game we played together, me and my parents. My mother had a way of making her eyes a little too wide and her face a little too innocent when she would tell me outrageous stories (Santa Claus, tooth fairy, etc). We made up our own fictitious characters, too -- I didn't have the Easter Bunny, I had the Santy Rabbit, who was every bit as real. There are old home movies of me sitting on Santa's lap and putting my arm around his neck, smiling, and whispering in his ear. I was saying, "You're Jim!" (our neighbor) and he was saying "Don't tell!" and I got down, promising I wouldn't.

It never upset me one way or the other. I always thought it was all in fun.

 

[King sns]

I realized there was no Santa Claus when I was seven or eight and saw my step-mother putting my Easter basket out very early one morning. I figured, hey, no Easter bunny, no Santa Claus.

This exact scenario.
But actually, I was always pretty skeptical about Santa. First off, I knew he couldn't fit down our chimney and questioned a lot about why we never cleaned it before he came, and why we burned wood before he came, and how it was possible for all those reindeer to fit on our old roof until my grandparents and mom finally conceded that in this case, he came through the front door.

Then my mom said we shouldn't put out that many cookies because Santa was trying to watch his weight. Well, 2+2 together, mom was trying to watch her weight. Santa had the same wrapping paper as mom, the same handwriting as mom.

I was about 4 when I decided that Santa was likely not real, but at 7 or 8 confirmed for sure when I caught Nana sneaking into our apartment with an Easter basket.

The conversation went something like this.
"Mom, I saw Nana with the easter basket today, so there's no easter bunny?"
Mom: (Looking upset.) No..
Me: No Santa either?
Mom: (Paused, looking down) No...
Me: I KNEW IT! (Smiling)

 

[Prototype]

I was 7.

 

[Tea-Snob]

I am thinking about it now and I bet if Santa had not been "the bringer of stuff that I want" I would have been a lot more skeptical of him

..these days I just write to Elvis each year..

 

[alexx]

Well now, the Easter Bunny is another story. I was about 9 and lived with my grandmother. I was so excited about dying eggs the next day and deciding what colors to use I couldn't sleep.

About 1 am my mother that was visiting for the holiday sticks her head in the door and whispers "Mom - where are those chocolate bunnies?".

Every basket I had ever received had this terrible big chocolate bunny in the middle (of which I'd leave the entire bunny and only eat the candy eyes).

I didn't say a word for years.

But SANTA STILL EXISTS ok?

 

[Tea-Snob]

..If he does exist I may have just gone on the naughty list

 

[Bubbles]

Think I was around nine or ten. Got excited like crazy when my mom sat me down and told me, I asked a million questions about how they did everything, and got to become an elf and help shop for my little sisters. Still do.