How old were you when you found out Santa wasn't real and how did you react to the news.

[teko]

And:

Do you maintain the myth for your children, or do you tell them the truth? If you maintain the myth, at what age do you let it expire?

[brice1967]

Oh man, I was 6 years old.  I was playing across the street at a buddies house.  He and I were telling his mother what we thought Santa may be bringing us for Christmas.  My buddies father just got home from a double shift and was in the den having a whiskey and trying to unwind a bit on Christmas Eve day.  He called us into the room and asked us what we were going to do that day and what we expected on Christmas.  Both my buddy and I started spewing all kinds of hopes ans wishes, and out of nowhere my buddies dad said something like, "I got a bit of news for you... there isnt a Santa Clause.  What do you think of that?"  

Both of us were crushed.  I infact ran home just ruined.....  Needless to say, my friends dad had a less than nice Christmas as his wife ran him through the ringer.  He apologized for months afterwards, but I always felt different around him after that.

[teko]

I was not raised with the santa philosephy growing up. It was a birthday celebration of Jesus and the gift exchange was the celebration of same. However, remembering as a child how I did not understand who Jesus was, I implemented Santa into the kids lives when they were very very young and they just sort of grew out of it as they became old enuff to understand. Same with the grandkids. Just something about that red hat and those fat cheeks! Over the years it has turned into such a money thing and the items seem to get more pricy as the years go by. So this year, I am traveling to be with family and letting the parents take care of the gifts for their own families. It feels so liberating too! Now lets just hope there are no terrorists at the airport! lol

[crackerjack4u2]

Hello, I'd must admit that I am 46 years old and I still believe in Santa Clause.  

Life is so short and full of negativity.  Children grow up so fast, and are maturing at a faster rate every year.  I believe you are never too old to believe in something that brings pleasure and joy to your life.  

When my daughter found out there wasn't a Santa Clause, she was 8 yrs old.  One of the older kids at her school told her, and it broke my heart and royally ticked her off.  She came home and asked me about it, and I can remember the conversation like it was yesterday. LOL Plus it was one of those Precious things I had to write in her baby book, which helps too.  

She said, "Momma, you know what this this ole mean girl in 5th grade told me today? I said, "No Hun, what'd she tell you?   She said, "She told me there wasn't a Santa Clause, and said that you and dad were just lying about it"   I said, "She did, what'd you say?"  She said, "I told her there was too a Santa Clause, and that you and dad were not lying, and that she was the one lying, and that she just needed to shut up."  Before I could even say a word to her. She then said, "There is too a Santa Clause ain't there Momma, that girl's just lying ain't she, she don't know what she's talking about does she, (pause) Does she Momma?"

LOL What do you say to someone that Precious?  Do you admit to her that you and her father are in fact LIARS, or tell her the little girl is the LIAR and indeed just needs to shut up LOL.  Here's how I ended up handling it.

After explaining to her it wasn't nice to call the little girl a liar, or telling her to shut up that she needed to apologize to the little girl for doing that.   I told her the little girl was right, that there is not a Santa Clause, and that me and her daddy were the ones pretending to be Santa Clause and put the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve for her.  

Her response was merely, "OH," with a look of confusion on her face.   I then explained to her, that the reason we told her there was a Santa Clause when there wasn't one was because it makes Christmas a lot more fun.    I then told her she did not have to stop believing in Santa Clause, if she didn't want to, that the choice was her's, but if she stopped believing in Santa Clause, she stopped getting from Santa Clause.  
Well, I guess the way I handled it worked well, perhaps too darn well because she is 22 years old now, and is anxiously awaiting Santa Clause's arrival.

Happy Holidays and God Bless Brenda

[Ashelen]

For me I never really *stopped* believing..it just sort of faded over the years. In fact, a short while ago I was thinking of fun things to do with my daughter this year and I thought of taking her outside to point out "Rudolph's nose" (a plane flying overhead) and I remember how long I had to stand outside in the cold every Christmas to see it and what an amazing memory it was...and even now, at 25, married and a mother of 2, I had to remind myself that it wasn't actually Rudolph.

My babies will believe as long as they want to. If they ask the truth, as long as they're not teenagers, I will continue the myth. I see no harm in it. Part of why the magic faded for me rather than ending abruptly was that my parents continued to say "No, Santa is real!" long past the age of disbelief for me...even though I would shake my head and roll my eyes, they kept that niggling doubt and I continued to believe in my heart for a long time. we are celebrating both Jesus AND Santa...Christmas eve will be a time for magic and mystery and story telling about the birth of Jesus...Christmas morning will be for Santa's presents...and then Christmas day will be a time to celebrate the REAL meaning of the season. It all works together, in my opinion, and is not mutually exclusive either way :-).

[Sumanadevii]

We still believe in Santa!!!  He is the magic of the season!!!!!!  

However, the reality?  When my sons found out they were usually heartbroken.  I eased it by having them become my helper.  They got to stay up late and put packages under the tree