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BLB_Oregon
Guest
spacecadet said:i hope to avoid the whole sit on santa’s lap thing with my kids!!!1
It can be done… and without pain, since it mostly requires keeping them out of malls and department stores at Christmas time!
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It can be done… and without pain, since it mostly requires keeping them out of malls and department stores at Christmas time!
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spacecadet
Guest
well i do that anyway
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Jon_Jay2
Guest
I believed till I was about 7 or 8 and then I think my mom caught on when she told me that “anyone who didn’t believe in Sata in our house isn’t going to get any presents.”
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catsrus
Guest
I figured it out by the time I was 4. I don’t remember how.
I promptly informed my sister who ran to Mom bawling that I said there was no Santa. Mom was ticked at me for that. I waited till bedtime and then told the little tattletale there is also no Easter bunny, or tooth fairy.
Sis and I are now almost 60 and she still brings this up!
She has issues…
I promptly informed my sister who ran to Mom bawling that I said there was no Santa. Mom was ticked at me for that. I waited till bedtime and then told the little tattletale there is also no Easter bunny, or tooth fairy.
Sis and I are now almost 60 and she still brings this up!
She has issues…
D
deb1
Guest
When I was nine, I asked my stepdad if Santa was real. He decided that if I was old enough to ask, then I was old enough to know. He sat me down on the edge of the bed and we had a very nice discussion. I felt very grown up. He explained that when we are children, we are able to suspend belief and accept that a man can circle the world in just one night. But as we get older, we begin to ask questions. He said that this was a part of growing up. He also explained that my baby brother and sister had a right to believe in fantasy and that I shouldn’t ruin it for them or any child. Believe it or not this is a very, very special memory. I wasn’t devestated but I felt grown up.
I have used the same method with my own children and there doesn’t seem to be any trauma. I have even let each child help pick out some presents from Santa for their younger siblings. The older kids really get into helping the younger ones believe.
I have used the same method with my own children and there doesn’t seem to be any trauma. I have even let each child help pick out some presents from Santa for their younger siblings. The older kids really get into helping the younger ones believe.
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deb1
Guest
I have never said this to my own kids. I believe that it makes them secretive and not willing to come to you when they do stop believing.I believed till I was about 7 or 8 and then I think my mom caught on when she told me that “anyone who didn’t believe in Sata in our house isn’t going to get any presents.”
R
rayne89
Guest
I believed in Santa and gradually as I got older I kind of figured it out. It didn’t upset me. Kids believe in all kinds of fantasy it’s just part of being a kid, I just kind of grew out of it.
My hubby was told very early about 2&1/2 years old that there was no Santa (actually his father told him Santa was dead -isn’t that lovely?) When he first told me about this (back when we were in highschool) I was so sad for him. It just blew me away that he never got to sit on Santa’s lap or hang up stockings or any of the fun magical stuff of childhood.
My daughter is 10 and she still believes. I sometimes wonder of I should tell her but I figure eventually she’ll figure it out on her own just like I did.
My hubby was told very early about 2&1/2 years old that there was no Santa (actually his father told him Santa was dead -isn’t that lovely?) When he first told me about this (back when we were in highschool) I was so sad for him. It just blew me away that he never got to sit on Santa’s lap or hang up stockings or any of the fun magical stuff of childhood.
My daughter is 10 and she still believes. I sometimes wonder of I should tell her but I figure eventually she’ll figure it out on her own just like I did.
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victory
Guest
it didn’t upset me to learn to truth, but i still don’t want to lie to my kids
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mumto5
Guest
I never believed in Santa as my mother didn’t believe in lying to us. My husband was devastated when he found out the truth.
We haven’t done Santa with our children as it just didn’t come naturally. Also, I heard a child laugh at the idea of Jesus because you can’t see Jesus, and you can’t see Santa. So the child thought that the mother was just trying to play a similar game to Santa when she told her that Santa wasn’t real but Jesus was. The response was, laughing, “Sure Mom!”
We haven’t done Santa with our children as it just didn’t come naturally. Also, I heard a child laugh at the idea of Jesus because you can’t see Jesus, and you can’t see Santa. So the child thought that the mother was just trying to play a similar game to Santa when she told her that Santa wasn’t real but Jesus was. The response was, laughing, “Sure Mom!”
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MariaG
Guest
My boys were homeschooled. It kind of protects them a little. My oldest was 12 before he stopped believing in Santa.
I remember one conversation we had when my 11 year old said,
“Logan says there is no Santa Claus. Is there Mom?”
I responded, 'What do you think?"
He turned to his friend and said, “See I told you so.” and proceeded to share various stories that “proved” santa was real.
Another time when asked point blank, I started to tell them a story of what happened to me when I was their age. We were going over to my cousins house on Christmas Eve. When we walked in the door, my 12 year old cousin was just hanging up the phone. He had an incredulous look on his face. Apparently, since we were late, he was calling to see when we would be there. The man who answered the phone claimed to be Santa Claus. My cousin was unconvinced until we walked in the door seconds later.
Once again, they came to their own conclusions.
We don’t have to lie to our kids, but we need to really listen to the question before answering. Sometimes they are not looking for the truth, but a reason to keep believing.
God Bless,
Maria
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Genesis315
Guest
I’m 24 years old. I go home for Christmas and Santa still brings me presents.
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Celia
Guest
I believed until I was probably 5 or 6. Then I put two and two together and figured things out. I think my parents were a little sad that I caught on, they had fun with the Santa thing. It didn’t bother me really to find out…maybe a little sad at first, but I just kinda accepted it.
By the way, my mom still writes “from Santa” on the gifts from her and my dad to me and my brother and sister. That’s how we know it’s from them.
By the way, my mom still writes “from Santa” on the gifts from her and my dad to me and my brother and sister. That’s how we know it’s from them.
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mommyaprilj
Guest
NO SANTA, NO I DON’T THINK SO.
I know there’s a Santa because I kiss him every night, just call me
MRS. CLAUS
I know there’s a Santa because I kiss him every night, just call me
MRS. CLAUS
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dulcissima
Guest
I believed in Santa right up until 1st grade when my mom told me the truth. My friends had all been telling me there was no Santa, but I refused to give up believing in him until my mom told me. I guess it is pretty surprising that I didn’t feel devastated by learning that it had all been one big elaborate hoax by the grown-ups, but I didn’t. I just realized how great my parents must be if THEY were actually Santa.
So far, my two older kids have figured it out on their own, around age 6. They were pretty cool about it. My two youngest have yet to realize it.
So far, my two older kids have figured it out on their own, around age 6. They were pretty cool about it. My two youngest have yet to realize it.
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wisdom_3_5
Guest
This is what we’re doing with our two girls now. They are soooo into the Santa thing but they also know about St. Nicholas of Myra.
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Honoria20
Guest
I was about five years old when a very precocious little friend of mine told me. I told her she was lying and her mother proceeded to back it up. I was devastated!
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Princess_Abby
Guest
Actually, I found out about Santa due to my deathly fear of the Easter Bunny.
One Easter when I was 7, we visited the Easter Bunny at the mall. He was tall and furry but he had ginormous eyes that were large and black and expressionless. We had visited Santa before, and he always spoke to us. This was our first visit to the mute and silent Easter Bunny with the creepy eyes. He scared the living daylights out of me.
Somehow I got confused with dates, because we were going to be going to Easter Vigil mass (my aunt was going to be confirmed) and I kept hearing my parents talk about mass the next day. So, I thought it was Easter the next morning, even though really it was just Holy Saturday. I stayed awake that whole night, sleepless and paralyzed in my little twin bed, afraid of the Easter Bunny creeping soundlessly into our house and maybe even coming up the steps to make sure we were asleep. I was so terrified of being awake when this happened and coming face to face with those expressionless eyes again!!!
I remember my dad checking on me in the middle of the night, sand me telling him I couldn’t sleep. He said, okay well we better ask the Sandman to give you some magic sleep! (I still don’t know where this even came from, but the Sandman was always supposed to enable sleep before Christmas and Easter.) Poor dad thought he was being uber helpful. Anyway, he rubbed my back for a bit and I ended up falling asleep.
But, it wasn’t for long since I woke up again, freezing and having to go the bathroom. I was so afraid the Easter Bunny could be around any corner, it took so much courage for me to finally get out of that bed and dash down the hallway. As it happened, my brother was coming out of the bathroom at the same time, and I ran into him, which made me start screaming bloody murder (I was already primed for an Easter Bunny run-in, after all) because I couldn’t figure out that it was him. He started screaming too, and suddenly my dad came flying out of the master bedroom and picked both of us up under his arms and did this crazy circle in the middle of the hallway, looking for what he assumed must have been an intruder (we still laugh about this).
Anyway, I was crying and telling dad (when he could finally listen) that I thought my brother was the Easter bunny and that’s why I screamed. My dad sent my brother off to bed and we went back to my room, and dad asked me if I was afraid of the Easter Bunny. I said yes and cried and cried that I was so afraid he would come up and “get me” and I wouldn’t hear him because he doesn’t speak or make sounds!
Dad sat on the edge of my bed and asked if I really thought he would ever let “some rabbit guy” come into our home in the middle of the night. I remember sitting up in shock and staring at him with an open mouth. We were really quiet for what seemed like a long time and I said, “but if he doesn’t come in, how do the Easter baskets get here?”
Dad said that he and Mom were Easter helpers and that the bunny story was just a fun way for little kids to celebrate Jesus’ ressurrection. That I shouldn’t be afraid and today wasn’t even Easter and no bunny is going to come and get me.
I remember being SO RELIEVED.
The next day, however, I asked my mom about the tooth fairy and the whole Santa thing. She refused to confirm or deny, but by that time I felt pretty wise to the whole thing. I was disappointed about Santa, but still sort of relieved, too. I did feel slightly deceived and upset that I had spent so much time being afraid of the dumb Easter bunny at the mall.
Anyway, my siblings believed for years and years (one of my sisters was only two weeks old that year, and she believed til she was 10) and I never spoiled it for anyone. I always thought it was mean when kids at school would ask derisively, “Do you believe in Santa?” as if they were super cool for knowing it was all fake. So many little kids hearts were broken to find out that way!
In later years I even wrote letters to my little sisters, pretending to be the toothfairy. They still have those letters and it was so fun to watch them really believe they were corresponding with the toothfairy.
However… my husband and I don’t think we’ll be selling the Santa story to our kiddos. We will incorporate it as a beautiful story but the focus will be on St. Nicholas.
One Easter when I was 7, we visited the Easter Bunny at the mall. He was tall and furry but he had ginormous eyes that were large and black and expressionless. We had visited Santa before, and he always spoke to us. This was our first visit to the mute and silent Easter Bunny with the creepy eyes. He scared the living daylights out of me.
Somehow I got confused with dates, because we were going to be going to Easter Vigil mass (my aunt was going to be confirmed) and I kept hearing my parents talk about mass the next day. So, I thought it was Easter the next morning, even though really it was just Holy Saturday. I stayed awake that whole night, sleepless and paralyzed in my little twin bed, afraid of the Easter Bunny creeping soundlessly into our house and maybe even coming up the steps to make sure we were asleep. I was so terrified of being awake when this happened and coming face to face with those expressionless eyes again!!!
I remember my dad checking on me in the middle of the night, sand me telling him I couldn’t sleep. He said, okay well we better ask the Sandman to give you some magic sleep! (I still don’t know where this even came from, but the Sandman was always supposed to enable sleep before Christmas and Easter.) Poor dad thought he was being uber helpful.
Anyway, he rubbed my back for a bit and I ended up falling asleep.But, it wasn’t for long since I woke up again, freezing and having to go the bathroom. I was so afraid the Easter Bunny could be around any corner, it took so much courage for me to finally get out of that bed and dash down the hallway. As it happened, my brother was coming out of the bathroom at the same time, and I ran into him, which made me start screaming bloody murder (I was already primed for an Easter Bunny run-in, after all) because I couldn’t figure out that it was him. He started screaming too, and suddenly my dad came flying out of the master bedroom and picked both of us up under his arms and did this crazy circle in the middle of the hallway, looking for what he assumed must have been an intruder (we still laugh about this).
Anyway, I was crying and telling dad (when he could finally listen) that I thought my brother was the Easter bunny and that’s why I screamed. My dad sent my brother off to bed and we went back to my room, and dad asked me if I was afraid of the Easter Bunny. I said yes and cried and cried that I was so afraid he would come up and “get me” and I wouldn’t hear him because he doesn’t speak or make sounds!
Dad sat on the edge of my bed and asked if I really thought he would ever let “some rabbit guy” come into our home in the middle of the night. I remember sitting up in shock and staring at him with an open mouth. We were really quiet for what seemed like a long time and I said, “but if he doesn’t come in, how do the Easter baskets get here?”
Dad said that he and Mom were Easter helpers and that the bunny story was just a fun way for little kids to celebrate Jesus’ ressurrection. That I shouldn’t be afraid and today wasn’t even Easter and no bunny is going to come and get me.
I remember being SO RELIEVED.
The next day, however, I asked my mom about the tooth fairy and the whole Santa thing. She refused to confirm or deny, but by that time I felt pretty wise to the whole thing.
I was disappointed about Santa, but still sort of relieved, too. I did feel slightly deceived and upset that I had spent so much time being afraid of the dumb Easter bunny at the mall.Anyway, my siblings believed for years and years (one of my sisters was only two weeks old that year, and she believed til she was 10) and I never spoiled it for anyone. I always thought it was mean when kids at school would ask derisively, “Do you believe in Santa?” as if they were super cool for knowing it was all fake. So many little kids hearts were broken to find out that way!
In later years I even wrote letters to my little sisters, pretending to be the toothfairy. They still have those letters and it was so fun to watch them really believe they were corresponding with the toothfairy.
However… my husband and I don’t think we’ll be selling the Santa story to our kiddos. We will incorporate it as a beautiful story but the focus will be on St. Nicholas.
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Giannawannabe
Guest
I remember waking up and “catching” my parents in the act of playing Santa Claus. I was pretty devastated. However, I don’t think I would have had the same reaction if I had found out another way—perhaps Mom and Dad sitting me down when I was of age (around 8 or 9) and having a “santa talk” with me. That’s what I’ve done with my 2 older kids and it worked out well.
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BigBuddha
Guest
When i found out that santa wasn’t real, i just thought it was important to make sure my younger siblings enjoyed the holiday spirit and traditions with santa
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Jennifer_J
Guest
This was posted on another Santa thread, but it bears repeating–at site dedicated to the Real St Nicholas!!! 
stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23
Jennifer
stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23
Jennifer
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