U - How did you find out Santa wasn't real?

[HogwartzGrl4]

How`d you find out Santa wasn`t real? I found out by the handwriting on the gift. I could tell my parent`s handwriting anywhere. It was so obvious.How`d you find out?

[barissaree]

Wait.. you mean? SANTA ISN'T REAL?

[kaitco]

:upset: I was four years old. My mother and I were in Manhattan visiting my Grandma and we went into Macy's and were going to go see Santa. Like a lot of little kids, I loved hiding from my mother in those round things they hang clothes on...anyway, I was running through the store and went behind a door or a hallway, I can't really remember, but when I came around the corner, there was this guy standing in front of a mirror wearing red Santa pants and a wifebeater. Then I turned around and saw my mother who was nodding at me.
It was a sad day. It was always that little brat that told everyone she met Santa wasn't real. I'm ashamed of myself :no:

[Amadeus]

Errr.. are you sure about whether we should keep this thread or not?

I mean, there are younger people in this forum and I would hate it if some people found out the 'existence' of Santa Claus through this thread...

[cleansweep11]

I agree.This might be closed just because we don't want to ruin it for the little kids....

[snitchseeker86]

the magic just kinda wore off. i just couldn't actually believe that the fat man could fit in a chimney

[Field]

Please tell me why no one has closed this thread yet? it seems there are some kids who are below 10 years of age, why would you ruin it for them. they should be told when they need to know.

[Inkwolf]

I've suggested that the mods move this to Knockturn Alley. We'll have to wait and see what their decision is.

My parents never lied to us about Santa. We enjoyed the stories and Christmas specials, but we knew who the presents were from. I think it's better that way.

[daniel4hp]

I'm going to move this to KA for now, then discuss with the staff what to ultimately do with it.

For the record, I was the same as Inkwolf. I always knew that Santa wasn't real. I think it was fine that way, but telling kids Santa is real is fine too. But for me, I always knew about Santa, but I didn't actual ever believe he was real.

[::Revolutionary::]

Errr.. are you sure about whether we should keep this thread or not?

I mean, there are younger people in this forum and I would hate it if some people found out the 'existence' of Santa Claus through this thread...

...:nc:...

[HannahStarr]

I recognized the handwriting on all my packages as my mom's rather than "Santa"'s. She has very unique handwriting.

[Dedalus]

I never believed Father Christmas was real! My mum and dad always told me he was, and people would talk about him and every Christmas we'd leave a mince pie and a glass of sherry out, but I still never seriously believed in it all. I thought it was meant to just be a good story, and that we were all just playing along (including my mum and dad) and I was surprised when I was told he didn't really exist because I didn't know I was really meant to take it seriously.

[::Revolutionary::]

I never believed Father Christmas was real! My mum and dad always told me he was, and people would talk about him and every Christmas we'd leave a mince pie and a glass of sherry out, but I still never seriously believed in it all. I thought it was meant to just be a good story, and that we were all just playing along (including my mum and dad) and I was surprised when I was told he didn't really exist because I didn't know I was really meant to take it seriously.


No wonder all the mall santa's are alcoholics...They are just trying to stay in the christmas spirit(no pun intended :D) children know

[haycheng]

We never have christma gift by santa in my family. We just do not celebrate christma like the Westerners. My parents may buy gift for christma but they are open and buy it in front of me. By the time, I get the idea of Santa, I also recieve the information that he is not real.

[Auror Williamson]

I believed in Santa farely strongly up until I was about 6. It was that point in my childhood that I began having suspicions that Santa was fake. I started to notice connections between "Santa's" handwriting on the gifts and my parent's handwriting. Then there were the more obvious things I thought made him impossible, like the chimney and sleigh thing..

And then then there was always the thinking not of the shopping centers' Santa's were fake. I continually asked my parents for some certification from them that it was really Santa. Their explanation is that he had lots of helpers who dressed as him. :rolleyes:


I think I was 7 or 8 years old when I demanded a straight answer from my parents. My suspicions were true, as they confessed he was fake.

I didn't cry, I just stood there with a triumphal look upon my face.

I think it's a good thing that parents promote the notion of Santa's existence. The years I believed in him were some of the happiest holiday years in my life.

But there's a time when you need or must tell your child that it's all been a lie. I think 8 or 9 is an appropriate age where you your child needs to know the truth.

[The Hermit]

I believed until the Christmas of 5th grade. Probably the worst year of my life followed that experience. v_v'

[nevyn]

I believed in santa til i was bout 8 or 9.....then i just sorta knew...i think my mums handwriting gave it away....LOL before that i used to love telling my little sister that i saw Santa's boots jumping on the trampoline trying to fit through the upstairs window coz we didnt have a chimney....HAHAH i was funny

[cleansweep11]

My friend told me. She told me that she reconised her dad's handwriting and that he told her that it was him. It kinda ruined our friendship....

[Quasi_EviL]

I recognized the handwriting too...and the wrapping paper that my parents used to wrap the presents.

[LadySummer]

A rotten older step brother told me....after that i stopped believing my mom when she use to say that the elves must have been stealing her wrapping paper, because santas gifts and hers were wrapped with the same stuff. LOL!

[FoolOnTheHill]

I have no idea when I stopped believing. It just eventually happened. I got suspicious from things like the handwriting and wrapping paper. And then there were those Christmas specials on t.v. where the parents would be shocked to find out Santa was real, and I was like.... "Hey! Why wouldn't they think Santa was real?"

[Doggy]

My parents never told me that Santa was real. Nobody does that where I live. So obviously I couldn't get dissapointed.

[dumbleedore]

I believed, but somewhere in my heart I knew it wasn't real.

Wait- I believed? I still do... the childish part of me still wants him to be real :p

[Schlubalybub]

i just realised. my brother didnt till he was 8, and my cousin didnt realise till he started high school and they took the piss outta him for still believing in him!

[rotsiepots]

I just worked it out. I was talking to my mother one day and I just said to her, "You're Father Christmas, aren't you? And the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy too!"

I suppose I always just thought about things too much when I was younger. I was about 9 or 10 when I worked it out.

[remusjlupin1980]

What? Santa isn't real? :wow: :sad: :upset:

[Azimuth]

I realised when I was about four or five that it would be physically impossible for one man to deliver presents to hundreds of millions of people in one night. And that reindeers can't fly.

[Jill]

I realised that santa did not exists when I was 7 because an adult told me and I kind of worked out that too many parents where buying toys in the town. I put 2 and 2 together and thought, no santa doesn't exist. I just figured it out and well thats it. The dogs haven't though, they get so giddy at christmas time.

[Angora]

Well, I figured it out by reading the title of this thread.

Oh, someone was going to say it.

I was five, I guess, when I figured it out. I felt very upset that everyone would lie to me like that. And then I told all my friends, because I'm grinchy that way. ;)

When I visit my mom at christmas, she always gives me a present that says it's from Santa. I think that's a cute mom thing to do. But I also think the whole thing is kind of a pointless lie to tell in the first place.

Now, when I was in grade school they used to read us the story of something-yaga who used to eat bad children or something. That was a cool holliday story.

[leenielou]

My parents were quite sneaky and never wrote on the presents that they put in my stocking. I always knew that the presents under the tree were from relatives, and presents in the stocking signified Santa.

On that note, last year was the first year that I didn't get a stocking. I was distraught.

That doesn't mean that it was the first year that I didn't belive in Santa. As some people have already said, I just always knew that he wasn't real. I went through the motions of mince pie and milk etc, but it never made sense. It was just always a tradition, and my parents never went out of their way to enforce it.

Especially when I saw them dump the stocking at the bottom of my bed, and I sat up and screamed. I thought that they were trying to steal my presents, and I was so indignant at that thought. It also didn't ring true, because I was a little ***** all year and still got presents.

Quite depressing really, that I can never remember actually believing in him.

[triki1988]

I blame it all to one factor: Time.

As I grew up I realized it was impossible to have Baby Jesus (Saint Nicholas isn't exactly THE man in Venezuela) come and give you presents. Plus, it was obvious- those sudden "oh! I've forgotten to buy something at the supermarket!" and they'd take hours to come back.
I also found all my letters to Santa (and I noticed that as I got older, they were more and more sarcastic and sinical. One of them started out, "Dear Niño Jesus, this year, I've been a hell of a person...or at least tried, and you know it, don't you, allmighty one? Anyways, let's get to the point cos I'm not here to suck up to you (I go to church on sundays). This year, if it's possible I'd like a...") inside my life book my mom made for me and wrote in since the day I was born.

But, all in all, you know, I like to believe that actually happens. I like to think Santa, St. Nicholas or baby Jesus exist and they break into your house every Dec. 24th. It's nice. I think that's what the spirit of Christmas is all about for me.

[Adalbert Waffling]

I found out when I was about 7. My next-door neighbor and best friend was 4 years older than me and he told me he wasn't real. I wouldn't believe it, and I was kind of mean to him (little fights between friends.). I got home and cuddled in my dads chair with him and he told me Santa wasn't real. :sad: *cries*

[Flobberworm]

I think I stopped believing when I was about 5 or 6, but it was over a period of time. My mom was sneaky and changed her handwriting on the gifts, but I went over to my friend's house one Christmas and saw that the writing on one of her presents was exactly the same. The wrapping paper was also the same. Then there was the time I looked in the shopping bag and saw the same thing Santa gave to me a few days later (hey, it was on the kitchen floor in plain sight, what was I supposed to do? ;)). Then I started thinking that it was simply impossible for one man to travel all over the world in one night and eat millions of cookies without throwing up. :lol: I was such a logical little girl...My parents haven't actually told me that he isn't real though. I wonder if they still think I believe in him...

[HarryLass]

I found out before I accepted it. I got some fluffy book, aimed more at teens, when I was about seven. In it, some girl was talking about her sister and she said, "I think this is the last year she'll believe in Santa Claus." I was quite upset, and even more so at the fact that nobody later on in the book told her she was wrong, and that Santa was real. So I went into denial, because Santa had to be real. Two years later I asked my mom, and she told me he wasn't real. I went into hysterics, but then I was fine. My sister never asked or was told the truth about Santa Claus, but eventually my parents started puting presents out early without "From Santa" notes on them.

[HPGS]

I stopped believing when I was in third grade. I used to go to Daycare, and all the older kids used to tell us (the younger kids) that Santa wasn't real. I got suspicious when I was around 6 or 7. My dad used to bring home "Reindeer Feed", so I tried to dump it out in the same place and see if the Reindeer really ate it. I also used to get apples and oranges in my stockings, so I counted how many Apples we had on Christmas Eve. Of course, none of that worked. My parents were pretty sneaky: they'd never wrap the presents from "Santa", they'd leave them under the tree. "Santa" used to leave a note, but he mysteriously stopped when I was old enough to read. My parents slipped up when they left an apple for my grandfather. He comes over every Christmas eve and spends the night. (I call him Pappy)They left him an apple from "Santa", and I noticed how Santa's handwriting was very similiar to my Mother's...

[cleansweep11]

My brother used to write the notes from santa so I wouldn't reconzie the writing....

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

I never believed. Of course, that might have something to do with the fact I don't celebrate Christmas, and didn't really understand how the whole Santa thing worked until my friends stopped believing in him. (That was around 6 or 7, I think.)

I'm not sure I ever really believed in the Tooth Fairy, either, though I have to give my parents credit: they always talked about "Tooth Fairy Central," which made it seem like there was more than one, and cleared up the "how's she supposed to get all those places in one night?" problem.

[Gabi Potter]

I'm not sure how long I really believed in Santa. I was always suspiscious. I had a big problem with the "we don't have chimney" thing and the problems got worse from there. So yea I was always skeptical but it wasn't until I was eleven that I let my mom and dad know that I didn't believe. I actually got a book in a present "from Santa" but it had a note from my parents in it so that was the final time.

Santa is quite a ridiculous thing when you think about it. I mean those poor parents who don't get any credit for buying all those presents for their kids. But it was fun when I did believe, or at least pretended to.

[Fantome]

I never really believed much, but my parents were very secretive about the presents, so I didn't have any evidence. I went to a friend's house whose mother put the presents under the tree early and found out that her Santa had different handwriting. Eventually, I told my mom I didn't think Santa was real and she told me not to ruin it for my little brother. I don't think I ever thought the Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny were real.

I don't think I'll be doing any of those traditions with my children. Lying to them at an early age, even for fun, seems wrong to me and bad for critical thinking. Although I suppose finding out it isn't real on their own is good for critical thinking.

[Jagdverband]

Probably about the time I was able to string two cognitive thoughts together that weren't concerned solely with the acquistion of food, drink and sleep. I've always been a cynical little snot, and I grew into cynical big snot. But I do know one thing - shortly after I realised Santa didn't exist, I realised life rapidly goes downhill, and doesn't get any better.

[Emma]

I don't know about the rest of you but, Santa still comes to my house.

He is real.

[Rowlingfan1]

Physics. There is no way a 300+ pound man and eight tiny reindeer, not to mention all the gifts, could make it to every home in the world in one night. Not even a 115 pound man, a chiuaua (sp), and a ring on the Concord could do that.

[FredRocksMySocks]

My teacher told me. It was a sad day in second grade when Mrs. Black let it slip that our parents would be putting the presents under the tree. My friend and I spent recess crying. I was an emotional child..... ;)

[Zachary1993]

I was on the school bus. I was in second grade. A few of the sixth graders were telling the bus drivers children that The Easter was not real and spoiled it for her children. THis bus driver waited until all the kids that did not hear this was on the bus and then she talked to them making sure that everyone else knew the truth about Santa and the Easter Bunny. So because some sixth grader spoiled it for her kids she thought she should not let the other kids have the fun which really sucked.

[mafiawizard]

How`d you find out Santa wasn`t real? I found out by the handwriting on the gift. I could tell my parent`s handwriting anywhere. It was so obvious.How`d you find out?
In just found out right now. I thouth he was real. You made me sad thanks a lot now I will not enjoy this christmes. :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset:

I am so mad at you and my mom and dad for lieing to me. I am mad at you because you spoilet it for me.

[symplet]

DEATHEATER: Are you joking or are you serious here?


I had suspicions for a while becasue my bigger brother and sister kept nagging me acout it, and then one year, I got Santa's response letter AFTER Christmas. That's when I knew.

[Hufflepuffy]

I hope we really didn't spoil it for deatheater.

(what kind of name is deatheater for a 7 yr old?)

My parents told me and my sisters when I was about 7.. I think they didn't want us to find out from our friends or anything traumatic like that.

I had pretty much figured it out by then, though. I was a smart kid. ;)

[Inkwolf]

Hmmm....if Deatheater is 7, he shouldn't be in the Knockturn Alley section at all....

Edit: BTW, on Trevor's profile it says he goes to high school...precocious little 7-year-old, ain't he? :p

[EcilaSrennah]

I'm a bit ablush, for the first post i ever wrote was the first topic I saw at Knockturn Alley (I love debating), and it was.. well, if you never read it, that's OK. In any event, I thought I'd compensate by writing at this happy cheerful, youth.. aimed.. thread? OK, it's not exactly youth aimed, but.. eh.. anyway..

I.. See, my story is a bit odd. At some point, I realized santa couldn't be real. I think I was about 8 or so. Since it occurred to me on my own, I wasn't that upset. I like the tradition, and so I upheld it. Plus, I figured my Dad could use the cookies. Goodness... Did I put out cookies? I don't remember.. I'm so ashamed!

Ninnyhoo, I reasoned Santa wasn't real. But.. one night.. when I was nine or so (A year after I found it out, one Christmas later..), I slept snug in my bed. It was the first time I had gone to the midnight service at my church, so I wasn't as fast alseep as I used to be at that time (two, three o' clock in the morning). I woke from my slumber, drowsily flopping around in my bed (I move a lot in my sleep). My eyes fluttered half open and--

There was someone!! In my room! Leaving!! Someone in red and white, tall, and... And I glanced up. Lo and Behold! my stocking was stuffed. I couldn't believe it. Now, since I had reasoned for myself he wasn't real, I had had discussions of it with other kids, always letting them say it first. But looking at the retreating figure, I thought...

Wait..

He *IS* real!!

Then, a couple of years ago, my sister Sara came down to the tree (we don't go into the Christmas room [den] until Christmas morning), clutching a teddy bear. My mother, at some point, smiled and hugged my father and made a comment about what a feeling father he was, etc, (I was a bit twitchy at first, because I had the inkling that my Daddy got Sara a teddy bear and not me.. Selfish, but hey...). My father laughed and made a comment that meant, essentially, "Oh, silly you, you got it". OK, not with those words, being my father, but.. Then they both looked at each other, still smiling, but confused, and then they turned to me. meanwhile, Sara was lost (She's three years older than me, by the way.). I shrugged. My mother said, slowly, confused, "Well.. maybe.. there is a Santa.." "Maybe.." one of us replied. But I caught my parents giving each other looks. "You know you gave it to her" looks. Extremely good acting? If my parents acted this well, I wouldn't know half the things I know, and used to my advantage. So, I guess part of me believes in Santa. Being that I stopped, then started again, this thread won't change that. It's the child in me, that refuses to believe I'll age, that candy is something good with no consequences (pounds, cavities), and that one of the funnest, bestest things in the whole wide world is to go out, and play in the snow, like we're puppies, hunting each other! That was with my sister. But wait, we were usually cats.

So, yeah, Santa's not real..

But maybe... maybe.. there is a santa...

Maybe....

Think about it. You might find there's an answer you'd like more than the other. Without fantasy, reality's harsh. Give it up already, and give in to the willing suspension of IS.

By the by, my mother used to tell me, once she figured I didn't believe in Santa (and after I started), "Well, think about it. If there is no Santa, what makes parents all accross the world go out and spend hundreds of dollars on presents on one, certain day and put them underneath a tree?"

^-^

16 days until Christmas!!!


~Alice

Welcome to the Dyslexic's Christmas Party:
With a special visit from
SATAN!

[FarhanaK]

I never even celebrated Christmas so I always knew that Santa was some thingy that adults like to pull on children for last generations...

[mafiawizard]

Hmmm....if Deatheater is 7, he shouldn't be in the Knockturn Alley section at all....

Edit: BTW, on Trevor's profile it says he goes to high school...precocious little 7-year-old, ain't he? :p
Actually I am 14. I guess I found out about Santa when I was like 4 or something. My mom did not want me to get presents ever. In kindergarten all my friends got presents from Santa but I did not. When ever I asked why Santa did not give me gifts she said because I was not a good boy this year. I did this and that and she named all the things I did wrong this year. Other kids did the same thing. When I really was seven she took me to social services and told them to find an adopted home from me.

The social service gave the foster family money to buy Christmas gifts and some did and some didn't. At this point I kind of figured out it was someone else that gave gifts. THe one that I live in right now does and they are nice.

I was not trying to make people feel bad by saying I am seven but I don't want some other kid to find out about Santa in that way or on things like this.

[Bart1991]

Santa is real. He's real I tell you don't make lies about Santa he is real. I asked my mom and dad and they said "ofcourse Santa is real don't be silly and make sure you write the letter to him or else he will not give you any gifts.

[Crystal]

I think I twigged age about 5 but I was 6 when my mother confirmed it. My sister on hearing the news decided to spread it around.
"I called them all together and told them there was no Santa Claus" She said that evening when we got home from school.
She told everyone in the infants school!
OOPS!

[Furienna]

I guess I never really believed in him. Swedes are not as sentimental as americans are, and no one in my family urged me to believe in santa or dressed up like santa or so. I always knew whome the presents were from too. (BTW, he's called "Jultomten" in swedish, which actually means "christmas gnome"). Originally, Santa Claus was really St Nicolaus, the children's own saint, but nowadays, I think Santa is just a way for parents and other grown-ups to frighten innocent little children to obedience. (Reading the parts about Santa in "Calvin & Hobbes" makes me sick of anger. :grumble: Poor little Calvin! :sad: ) OK, some people might do it to give the children some excitement too, but...

[complicated]

I guess i never did believe in santa too. i thnk i didn't even know there was santa until when i was in kindergarden or i knew there was santa but i didn't know the man was called santa, all i know is this guy in a red costume and white beard. It's sad really cause me and mum doesn't celebrate christmas, even easter and stuff like that but i would like too. I know my dad's side family does, they celebrate christmas and every year they have secret santa but that is when i go over there with dad when i was young. Now it's hard cause mum and dad don't get along and they got divorced. Anyways this is not a topic about me it's a topic about when did you stop believing in santa

[Loz]

I was fairly young... must have been around 4 - 5. We always just got chocolates and small presents from Father Christmas anyway, the good presents were always from my Mum and Dad and other family. My brother was young as well. We're all cynics and realists in my family :D

[mafiawizard]

Here are some funny answers that you can come up with.

As a child my parents always wanted me to believe Santa is real and they even got a divorce over it. You see when I was about 8 years old I went down for a drink and I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause under the misotoe.(yes that is where the song originated) Well I told my dad and he so much wanted me to believe in Santa that he pretended to think that Mommy was having an affair with Santa. HE got divorced because of that. I know that Santa is not real because one day I overheard them talking about it they were both crying. I heard my mom say if only I did not kiss you in your Santa costume." Well it is not your fault I never knew that our son would come down maybe we should have told him the truth. My mom replied and damage his childhood no way. Then she said that unfortunately it divorce was the only thing. Infact they still tell me that Santa is real and everytime I write a letter to Santa my dad acts all jealous.

another funny way to answer this would be.

I still believe in Santa.


A third way to make a funny answer would be WHAT DO YOU MEAN I AM NOT REAL. I am real and for all those that do not believe me you will be getting hot coal in your costume.

Here is another funny answer

I had already suspected that Santa was not real but I was not 100 percent sure. So I decided to test the theory. I was a good boy in front of my parents they thought I was good but behind their back I was a bad boy. I shoplifted beat little kids up stole candy from a spraypainted propery cheated on tests lied ect. I even once pulled the fire alarm at school once while we were writing a test. I still got gift like I was a good boy. That way I knew that Santa was not real because I was very bad and I still got gifts. Why would Santa bring a bad kid gifts unless it was not Santa and it was my parents who gave the gifts.

WARNING DONT TRY THIS AT HOME These storie are not true they are just for your enjoyment. Anyone actually doing this stuff can get into serious trouble.

[deadlocked]

I dont i just always kinda knew but had to keep it to myself as i have younger siblings.

[firebolt2000]

Wow, the day I found out Santa wasn't real was probably the most traumatic day of my life when I was young. And the funny thing is, I'm Jewish, and I never believed in those Channukah Harry stories, yet I believed there was a Santa Clause. This kid that was the son of my mother's best friend at the time told me when I told him what my Christmas list was, and it broke my heart. I was so mad at him for such a long time, till my mother told me I was being foolish and unreasonable. Sheesh, can't a kid be angry? :rotfl:

The worst part about was that I started to believe the tooth fairy wasn't real, especially when I started getting letters from "her" and it was my mother's handwriting. I thought G-d was playing some sort of trick on me back then.

[WeasleyIsOurKing]

As I got older, I just gradually figured out that Santa was fictional. No one ever really told me; I figured it out on my own. I'm the type of person who likes to know WHY and HOW about everything, and through my logical deductions I came to the conclusion that since there's no way a fat man with reindeer and a sleigh can fly to every child's house in the whole world and manage to give them all loads of presents. I mean, the US alone has over 250 million people - how many of them are children???

I also knew because I could tell my parents' handwriting was on the packages. I asked them about it, and they just said, "Oh, Santa was really busy this year and he needed me to help him." Riight.

[mafiawizard]

I don't know about the rest of you but, Santa still comes to my house.

He is real.
Santa comes to my house as well. A lot of my friends leave him cookies and a glass of milk. I don't I mean I leave him the cookies but I also understand where I live Canada it gets cold in Winter so I leave him a little something to warm him up : Rum. I only hope I do not give him to much that he can't fly his sleigh.

[mafiawizard]

Wait.. you mean? SANTA ISN'T REAL?
Pats barissaree on the back and gives her a hug. He is not real I just found out myself I am sorry you had to learn that.

[draco's girl]

i found out the horrible way, my cousin told me, and then the rest his friends started telling me that he's not real. thats the horrible way. i would have preferred to have found out the nice way, but realising it.
:(
but i still believe in reindeers!!!!!

[Chrysalis]

Well, we've never celebrated Christmas, so I kinda figured;)

[Virtuousdream]

I found out when I was 8/9. I remember asking all the logical questions and my sister who was 13/14 at the time desperatly trying to prove he was real until mum gave in and sat me down and told me. I was satisfied I was right :lol:

Very different reaction to my sister which explains why she tried to convince me when I doubted. She found out at age 10 by her friends at school, came home, asked mum, mum told her and she burst into tears and was gutted.

[mina]

For the life of me I can't remember. I must have been really young, maybe between four and six for me to have no memory of it.

[Fauve]

I never believed in Santa Clause to begin with. My parents never encouraged this "Santa is real".

[Purrrrrrr]

I flat out asked my mom in the middle of a grocery store. I was about 6. We had so many Christmas traditions it didn't matter though. I still write "from santa" when wrapping presents to friends and family. We tell my dog (yeah, I'm one of those people) that his gifts are from "Santy Paws". :blush: I know he doesn't understand a word I'm saying, but he's so big, stupid and cute I just can't help it. I had to read a book for one of my classes about the development of modern holidays and traditions and I thought I'd share a fun fact about Saint Nicholas. He was the Bishop of Myra (a turkish city) in the 4th century and is also the patron saint of fisherman. It's kind of amazing that this saint developed into Santa Claus. :lol:

[Dark Fallen Pride]

I don't remember...I do know I thought he was real at one point, but I have no clue when...maybe before I was 10?

[Trinity]

I never believed in Santa to begin with. I think it is more a Northern Hemisphere kind of thing. It is kind of hard for parents to make their children believe in Santa in the Southern Hemisphere where it never snows and people don't have chimneys:lol:

[HogwartzGrl4]

To those who got offended or anything I`m sorry. I`m just saying that everyone 8 and up already knows santa isn`t real. I was just 10 years old last year and most kids knew already.But I`m still sorry if I offended any of you.

[bravo]

Well my step brother told me santa crashed into the moon and died.

but what really hit it home was when all my presents started saying from mom and from grandparents but non of them said from santa anymore.

[red_fairy]

When I was 9 I started doubting, cause all my friends except one didn't believe nymore. The next year, I knew he wasn't real.

[Mundungus Fletc]

My big sister told me the Cow, I was only fifteen ;)

[Creatively Evil]

Santa isn't real! OMG! Haha, just kidding. I knew about when I was 8 because I could see my mom's handwriting on the presents.Also when I was younger I looked for presents, and had to act suprised for about 3 of my gifts, from "Santa".

[deathfairy87]

I'm pretty sure one of my sisters ruined it for me.

[Danluver182]

My parents never let me believe in Santa. I was always just told he wasn't real.

[Athina]

I don't know why people even pretend that the presents they give are from santa, he's great and all but at least don't say that the things you got are not from you! i remember one christmas my neighbours (a couple of fred and georges....) left a giant chocolate box on our doorstep and ran away and then began ringing bells from upstairs and I actually opened the door when everybody left to see if santa really came. lol that was fun.

[Ana-Magus]

I think I was 9 (4th grade) and some guys were talking about it in the lunch line.... I didn't believe them.... so I was determined to stay up on Christmas Eve to prove them wrong.... well, when all I heard from my bedroom were my parents wrapping presents - I knew the game was up..... I was so disappointed :upset:

[free_girl]

Saw my parents sneaking into the living room dropping off the presents from "santa". Not such a big shock for me through, don't know why. :huh:

[Kimmetje]

I think I was 4 as we never really did celebrate Santa Claus and me and my dad always bought gifts for my mom. I remember that I did find out about 'Sinterklaas' (for all the Dutch among us) when I was 9 and cried a whole week long. I just couldn't believe it and I was in shock, 'how could my parents have lied to me?' was what I thought.

When I knew I did tell a younger girl who cried and her mother was really mad at me and she was also 10 so I was like, alright. That was actually really mean of me I know now...

[Prof.Blink]

Well, i was about 10 when i found out. It wasn't that big a deal, I just pretended I didn't know for a few years!! LOL! At the moment, we still act like santa does exist, just for the sake of my little brother, he's 9 years old. Even last year, at the the age of 18 i still got a stocking... it had a lump of coal in it though! My little bro wouldn't stop laughing.

[skistar123]

SANTA ISN'T REAL?????????

I found out about 3 years ago but i still pretend i don't know, i guess my parents must be really patronising behind my back lol

i found out the horrible way, my cousin told me, and then the rest his friends started telling me that he's not real. thats the horrible way. i would have preferred to have found out the nice way, but realising it.
:(
but i still believe in reindeers!!!!!

Well you should believe in reindeers, aren't they real anyway?

[red_fairy]

When Aunt was little, she looked up at my Granmas friend, and said, "I think I've got this whole santa thing figured out, but I'm not going to say anything because I still want presents." :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Dedalus Diggle]

SANTA ISN'T REAL?????????

I found out about 3 years ago but i still pretend i don't know, i guess my parents must be really patronising behind my back lol?
Speaking as a parent, they are willing to play along with any of those silly games as long as you do. They know you know by now, but it's all good fun to pretend. My sister used to insist on waking up to have an Easter Egg hunt on Easter morning even when she was in college.

but i still believe in reindeers!!!!![/QUOTE]

Well you should believe in reindeers, aren't they real anyway?
Of course they are (in America we call them caribou), but if you see them fly, you'd better lay off the butterbeer or get a really sturdy umbrella.

[nica1103]

When I was little, I was afraid of Santa. :blush: It was probably the beard, and the fact that my parents tried to remedy my fear by having my uncle (who worked as a Santa, I guess) put on the suit in front of me. Too bad I was even more afraid of my uncle than Santa! :p I can see why someone would find a man who breaks into houses once a year kinda scary. Anyway, my parents asked me who would bring me my presents and I replied "Mickey and Minnie!" So every year for a few years, I would leave cheese out for them! :lol: I was a strange child, I know! I think this continued until I started school and realized I was abnormal...

I think by the time I was no longer afraid of Santa, I knew he wasn't real. If I didn't know then, my parents' handwriting and the wrapping paper gave it away. I never did tell my parents I knew, though. I actually thought I'd get more presents! Then one year he just stopped coming because my parents figured me out...

[~Tonks~]

My dad blew it for me. My mom did one of those "receive a letter from Santa" things you can do at the post office and we were at a friend's house and he was talking to them about it and didn't realize i was in earshot...

But then, I was also about 9 at the time, so I suppose it was due...

[AllanTheGreat]

Well, my story's kind of complicated.

When I was about 6, one day near Christmas my friends and I, all the same age, were playing outside and my next-door neighbor was throwing out her garbage. She heard us talking about Santa and then, being the faithful Christian she is, started telling us that he didn't exist, that it was our parents that left us the presents, because her philosophy is that Santa is pagan. Of course, we didnt believe her because we were a bunch of stubborn kids, and part because all of our parents came out and had a little talk with her, and dragged us each into our respective houses.

Then the following Christmases I started noticing all of those clues you guys have been mentioning. Handwriting in the gifts, one Christmas the cookies hadn't been eaten, and the fact that we didn't have a chimney and we have a house alarm:huh:. Oh and also, I used to write Santa's letters on the computer, and give them to my dad for him to take them to the mail office and send them. And then one Christmas Eve day I went into the car and saw the letter all shriveled up in the floor of the car, and I almost cried. 'OMG WHY DIDN'T YOU SEND IT?'. They had to calm me down and they finally told me that they had sent the emergency copy I always gave them instead of the original.

Then when I was 9 I finally realized everything and my parents knew that I knew when I didn't mind not putting cookies in the den, where the tree was located and Santa was supposed to sit down for a bit.

A bit long, wasn't it?

PS: Later they confessed that it was my older brother who ate the cookies and drank the Coke, yeah I didnt leave him milk because, being the clever child I was, I thought that he would need caffeine more than the calcium.

PSS: My inner child just activates during Christmas time and faithfully believes in him.

[DragonBlk17]

One year I just didn't get presents from Santa and I knew that he wasn't real anymore....I knew that he had the same handwriting as my mom

[FirefightingMuggle]

Evil little child that I was, I set a Santa Trap. I tied fishing line to one of the cookies, and I tied the other end to a bell. I strung it the whole way through the house and up to my bedroom. Then I proceeded to tell my mom what I was doing. I figured that Santa would pick up the cookie, thus pulling on the fishing line and cause the bell to ring in my room, waking me up. My mom laughed and said that Santa would never fall for that trick. Well, he didn't. Or rather, my mom cut the fishing line before she ate the cookies. When I woke up in the morning and saw that the trap didn't work, and that the line had been cut, I knew right away that it was my mom who cut it, and that Santa wasn't real.
But the whole scheme was pretty good for an 8 year old, if I do say so myself.

[Ana-Magus]

One year I just didn't get presents from Santa and I knew that he wasn't real anymore....I knew that he had the same handwriting as my mom


I still get a present from Santa every year - and I'm 28! It's just a fun thing my mom likes to do - I get a little stuffed animal from 'Santa'! Just her way of keeping me her baby!!!

[Lepus]

Well, my parents never told me, I'm 13 and they still say "You may believe what you like but I still believe in him" thats what my Mom says at least, for my Dad it's more "you don't believe you don't recieve" but I ultimatly found out while watching my oldest brother's baby tape, his first christmas. He got a present he really liked and my mom turned to the camrea and said "See, Frank, I told you that it was a good idea to get it for him" and my dad was like... "you mean for Santa to right?" Because the card was in clear view "To David from Santa" oh God it was funny... but I think I was ready to hear it because I just laughed! My mom always said that I miss heard the tape, but it's the same every time I watch it.

[Ana-Magus]

Well, my parents never told me, I'm 13 and they still say "You may believe what you like but I still believe in him" thats what my Mom says at least, for my Dad it's more "you don't believe you don't recieve" but I ultimatly found out while watching my oldest brother's baby tape, his first christmas. He got a present he really liked and my mom turned to the camrea and said "See, Frank, I told you that it was a good idea to get it for him" and my dad was like... "you mean for Santa to right?" Because the card was in clear view "To David from Santa" oh God it was funny... but I think I was ready to hear it because I just laughed! My mom always said that I miss heard the tape, but it's the same every time I watch it.


Awww - that's a horrible way to find out! How old were you?

Your parents should be punished - I would bring that up at advantagious times - "you ruined Santa Claus for me!"

[Lepus]

I was about 10... It was quite funny really... I always said she had a Christmas hangover and still josh her about it!

[Dagmar]

Wha...? Santa's not real! I don't believe it. :sad:

[Ana-Magus]

I was about 10... It was quite funny really... I always said she had a Christmas hangover and still josh her about it!


Good for you! As you get older - you will probably have some heated arguements with your parents.... throw that in there at the right time - you'll always win!

Wha...? Santa's not real! I don't believe it. :sad:


At least your not finding out from your parents' own mouths!

[HollywoodBob]

Santa is real!!! And I won't say anything to the contrary, I don't want to be on the "Naughty" list. :D

I was 7 and heard my mom talking about the presents she had to finish wrapping, though all the presents from her and my dad had been under the tree for a week. :D

-HollywoodBob

[Lepus]

My parents were very sneaky about it. All Santa's presants are wrapped in different paper from the rest of the presants. I was the last of my friends to believe it! Stupid CHristmas hangover! But the Tooth Fairy was completely different. When i was 6 i looked into my mothers draw and found little balls of kleenx with mine and my brother's teeth in them. She walked in and said "Now I can explain" and I look at her with a smile and said "Your the Tooth Fairy!?!?" I was so naive!

[Dagmar]

Santa is real!!! And I won't say anything to the contrary, I don't want to be on the "Naughty" list. :D

I was 7 and heard my mom talking about the presents she had to finish wrapping, though all the presents from her and my dad had been under the tree for a week. :D

-HollywoodBob

Was your mom getting into the Schnapps? My mom always said the same thing after a few shots.
:p

My parents were very sneaky about it. All Santa's presants are wrapped in different paper from the rest of the presants. I was the last of my friends to believe it! Stupid CHristmas hangover! But the Tooth Fairy was completely different. When i was 6 i looked into my mothers draw and found little balls of kleenx with mine and my brother's teeth in them. She walked in and said "Now I can explain" and I look at her with a smile and said "Your the Tooth Fairy!?!?" I was so naive!

Your mom was the tooth fairy??? Man I am learning so much on this thread.
Ok who's parent is Uncle Sam? :evil:

[Lepus]

I know better now. I have realised that... it's my Dads writing on the paper so he must have been storing it in her drawer!

[Nagini04]

I come from a Mexican home, we were never told that our presents came from Santa. We would always (and still) go to the store with our parents and choose our gifts. Yeah, I guess I was kinda deprived of that part of childhood, but at least that way I never got anything that I didn't want for Christmas.lol

[rettop yrrah]

About the same time I stoped believing the tooth fairy, Easter bunny, democracy and Eskimos.

[Dagmar]

I come from a Mexican home, we were never told that our presents came from Santa. We would always (and still) go to the store with our parents and choose our gifts. Yeah, I guess I was kinda deprived of that part of childhood, but at least that way I never got anything that I didn't want for Christmas.lol
Oh the horror of not growing up in a society that all plays along with the same lie.
Not getting stuff you want is a major character builder where I'm from. So is getting stuff you didn't want, or seeing your sisters get what you wanted because "Santa" got a little tipsy whilst wrapping the presents. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
:blush:

[DougJohnston]

Grrrr...My parents told me, straight up, that Santa wasnt real in like 3rd grade because they didnt want me to get made fun of at school when the other kids new he was fake. I was so mad and wouldnt make a christmas list. I got over it though...

[Ms Weasley]

We don't have Santa, we have Sinterklaas. But he's a fictional character who brings presents as well, so I'll just use my experience with that.

I was extremely gullible. I know it's usual to see lots of different Santas out and about around Christmas time in America, but you don't see so many Sinterklaasen walking about.
When I was about 7 I saw 2 Sinterklaasen in a very short amount of time. My mom told me that was because he could be at several places at once. And I believed her.

When I was about 9 I received a thing made of straw (something naught children get). I was so terrified that my parents finaly admitted they had given it to me, and not Sinterklaas (they had thought it would be a good joke). Then they told me he didn't exist. I cried for hours, and didn't trust my parents for months. Ha! Serves 'em right.

Now, the Easter bunny I still believe in. Because I saw him. On Easter sunday I was sitting in the bathtub, and from the window I saw the easter bunny hiding eggs. My mother keeps insisting it was just my dad in his bathrobe, but I know better!

[Queen of Wise]

Hmm, well I think I was about 8 or 9 years old. I was having doubts about "Santa" and so I just assumed he wasn't real. It was about another year before I realized that it was my parents who put the presents under the tree though. :D In my family, knowing the truth is very good, because now I just get money instead of presents. :P

[ComicBookWorm]

I'm Jewish and I was never exposed to Santa, but I do have a very funny story about my daughter. Even though we are Jewish, I let her believe in Santa since it was harmless and everyone else did, and I had always felt so left out when I was a kid.

When she was four I took her to a mall, and she sat on Santa's lap. When she got off his lap, she came to me with her little face screwed up in anger and said in a disgusted voice, "He's a fake!" Next I could actually see the wheels turning in her head while she reasoned her way through this. So then she said just as indignantly, "And all those Santas in all those malls, are all fakes!"

I was so taken aback by her insight that I didn't think I should continue to perpetrate a fraud that I wasn't that emotionally invested in anyway, so I told her sadly that she was right. But that she shouldn't tell any of her friends so they wouldn't have their feelings hurt.

She tells me that she still remembers the event, and that it was his fake beard that tipped her off. :rotfl:

[browneyedgirl41]

my Jewish friend told me when I said Christmas was better than Hannukah! I was in denial so I made up a story about how one Christmas night I came into my living room and saw Santa. You know what they say, denial ain't just a river in egypt~

[ComicBookWorm]

my Jewish friend told me when I said Christmas was better than Hannukah! I was in denial so I made up a story about how one Christmas night I came into my living room and saw Santa. You know what they say, denial ain't just a river in egypt~
I kept telling all my friends he wasn't real and they didn't believe me anyway. They figured I was Jewish and how would I know. :elaugh:

[theseeker]

I was 6 or 7 when my stepmother told me that Santa wasn't real...it scarred me for life:'(.
Maybe that's why I'm so sceptical of everything I'm told nowadays.

[Scarlet Lily]

When a girl in my class who had two older siblings told us (her group of friends) that Santa wasn't real and that we were babies for still believing, I was 9 years old. Didn't let on to Mum and Dad until 11. We tried to protect my little sister from the inevitable (she is the youngest child on both sides of the family) so that the magic was still there for a little bit longer. She is 16 and still the youngest when we celebrate Christmas and it just isn't as much fun without little kids and their infectious excitement (could also be having to work in a supermarket right up until the death knell for pre-Christmas shopping).

[roz]

My mother loves christmas and has always taken it much more seriously than my sister or I have (I mean how many parents wake their kids up on christmas morning so that they can open their presents?). I don't remember how I found out that Father Christmas wasn't real but I do remember pretending I still believed for a couple of years because I didn't want to spoil christmas for my mother!

Roz.

[MarcKal]

Santa? I lost all faith in him.

[Liselle]

I was in first class...about the age of 6, and a girl I was in school with told me :(

[Sunfish McCaul]

My parents still claim that Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are all real. They've never owned up, which I think is kind of cool. When I was around ten I stopped believing in him. I don't think I could've kept it up if I tried.

[Sile]

My parents told me. I kinda figued it out anyway just waiting for confirmation. I was one of those kids who after they found out searched the house for their presents

[Nrv4evr]

I knew Santa wasn't real when my dad dislocated his knee on Christmas Eve. The rest is obvious, as my parents came up with an excuse that Santa had important business on Christmas, which I knew was lies, and I put two and two together.

[Scarlet Tears]

Originally posted by Liselle
I was in first class...about the age of 6, and a girl I was in school with told me

How sad, and you were so young!

I was never really told about Santa not being real, I just sort of came to the realization as I grew older. But the funny thing is, my brother just found out last night! He started asking about it, and my dad was like, "Buddy, I hate to break it to you, but Santa isn't real." I felt so sorry for him, his eyes turned all red and he looked like he was about to cry :( But we joked about it afterward. My mom was probably the most sad out of everyone, though, because my brother is the youngest in our family, and now no one in our house believes in Santa anymore.

My sister was pretty upset when she found out. Her friend told her, then she confronted my mom about it and was like, "How could you lie like that for so long to your own children!" She got over it, though :)

[PrtVeela]

I can't quite remember how old I was I want to say 1st grader, so that means around 6 or 7.

And my mom told me and I was like "DARN IT, JUST LET ME LIVE A LIE MOM" okay so I didn't really say that, but I was still quite disappointed. And the worst was I had to keep it a secret from my sister.

[Nox182]

When I was 8, my parents forgot to put out the presents. I woke up eagerly the next morning, only to find that Santa hadn't brought anything. :upset:
I shouted, and my mum came to see what the fuss was about. She told me to wait in my room for 5 minutes and the come back down. I did as told, and my presents were "magically" there. Mum just said I hadn't looked har enough.
I might have been 8, but I was not that daft...

[Dawn_Potter]

In Austria we don't have Santa clause but the "Christkind" and I think I always knew that it wasn't real.... it was just fun to believe in it for some years.

[Spirit]

I held on to believing in Santa for quite some time. I was 8 when I finally faced the facts. I had several clues:

1. I could recognize my mom's handwriting.
2. I found Santa's special wrapping paper in my shed.
3. My lab, Penny, woke me up one Christmas Eve from her tail wagging against a wall. And I heard my mom say, "Sh, Penny, you'll wake up Molly!"

I finally demanded (before my 9th birthday) for her to tell me whether Santa was real or not. She said, "No, Molly, I'm sorry, Santa isn't real."

I was crushed.

[Seraphim]

My mom never said he was real, I knew it was her even if she signed the gifts to us from her with either " " or "Santa".
Also, according to my mom, my dad never wanted to lie to us about that stuff.

[FreyaCrescent]

I worked it out for myself.. I think I was about 5 or 6. First, I recognised my mum's handwriting and then sometime after a few of my friends from school were talking about it. I don't think I was that upset about it... it just seemed logical when I thought about it. My mum still used to address some of my presents as "from Santa" though. It was just nice to still play along with it, even if you didn't really believe there was a Santa.

[mlgirl]

I figured it out without them telling me. One Christmas I noticed Santa had the same gift tags as my parents. That same Christmas my mom told me she had talked to Santa the night before. The next Christmas I asked her if she ever talked to him and she said no!LOL A bit depressing but not as bad as my brother was he insisted he had seen him and said he was going to let his kids believe forever. :rotfl:

[loopdeedoo123]

The day I found out that Santa wasn't real was when I was helping wrap Christmas presents for my family with my mom. (that has always been a favorite pasttime of mine; I get completely into the Christmas spirit.)
My mom handed me a present she had wrapped, a To: From: tag and a pen, and said,
"Ok, now write To: Greg From: Santa."
Talk about tact.

[red_fairy]

The day I found out that Santa wasn't real was when I was helping wrap Christmas presents for my family with my mom. (that has always been a favorite pasttime of mine; I get completely into the Christmas spirit.)
My mom handed me a present she had wrapped, a To: From: tag and a pen, and said,
"Ok, now write To: Greg From: Santa."
Talk about tact.

That's terrible! I feel so bad for you.

My cousin knew for years, but had us all tiptoeing around the subject til she was 12 or 13. She thought that it was hilarious.

[Tane]

I figured it all out but can't remember how I think it was all the fake Santa Clauses out there that clinched it for me. Never like visiting Santa Clause, hated it actually and receiving presents at Christmas time, that is something I dislike a lot because I don't like the attention it brings. Chrismas when there is a toddler around who realises what is going on, now that is funny a lot of the time they open the present and throw the toy to one side then carry on playing with the box or wrapping paper it came in, I love that, you just got to love them.:lol:

[MakoDraco_luvme]

my mom forgot to put out the easter baskets and I asked her why the bunny forgot us and then we had the big talk about all the little creatures I thought were real being fake and all my friends( i was like 9) were like hes real! so sad

[Sorcha]

My orchestra teacher said to us "You aren't stupid enough to still believe in Santa, right?" Horrible way to find out, if you ask me.

[Bee]

WHAT? Are you trying to tell me there is no SANTA?!

Heehee. Just kidding. I'm sure someone has already used that joke, I'm just too lazy to go back and find the post :D! Anyways, I never believed in Santa. My parents never talked about him and I always knew exactly where presents came from. In the third grade (I was around 8 I guess) I remember it being around Christmastime and kids talking about Santa. I broke the news to them that there was no such thing and a couple of them cried and ran to tell the teacher. I got in trouble.

[starutena]

I had an older brother- 5 years older. Enough said.

[malfoyschick]

I was 6 (I think) and my friend told me. I wasn't terribly distraught - the idea of Santa had always seemed a bit freaky to me. I mean, he was in our house once a year!

[Kelfa21]

This is such a cute question!

To tell you the honest truth...the idea of santa terrified me a child...actually anything that was in uniform or had a beard (or any facial fur for that matter) was frightening. I wouldent go near them for a picture or a visit...and if I got to close I would scream and cry.

So, when I found out it was a bit of a relief. I never liked the idea that someone came into my house in the dead of night...even if it was for presents.
Anyway, I had asked santa repeatedly...year after year...for a train set and I never got one...the truth was that my parents were going through some rough times and really couldent afford a nice one. After a while...I was able to put two and two together...I had to have been around 8 or 9.

[mirandam]

As starutena said above I also had older siblings, so I didn't believe in any of those things for very long.

[Aranel]

I kind of figured it out for myself. The fact that people would ask "Do you still believe in Santa?" kind of pointed out the obvious to me.
My mum still maintains that Santa exists to this day. I'm 17. It's sad...but fun.

[snape_sinclaire]

I started getting suspicious in 3rd grade. Santa gave me this gift that I never even wanted. I thought that was kind of weird. He also gave me money, which was a dead giveaway. Then one year my parents slipped and accidently used the same wrapping paper as Santa. It was kind of sad, but I still love to play along.

[Reverie]

Well I never thought that Santa waas real. When I was little sometimes we would play along that the presents were from Santa although everyone in my family knew that we knew that the presents were really from our parents.

[CurlyFries611]

we just kinda gave it up when we got too old.

question: how do you change what year you're in? like under your name. I'm a first year and I'd like to not be.

[Annabelle Black]

My mother got mad and yelled at me that there wasn't a Santa when I was about 9. I had been particularly greedy that Christmas and she was very upset with me. Sadly I carried on that tradition with my daughter. She kept nagging me one Christmas about whether or not he existed and kept asking for all sorts of presents. I was finally fed up and yelled that there wasn't a Santa. Of course the three of us all laugh about these stories now. I think my daughter plans on telling her daughter, when she has one, in the same fashion.

PS: I think once you do 100 posts you become a second year.

[Aquaria]

I recognized my uncle when he was playing Santa Clause this one christmas.
I guess I was about 8 years old.
And then told my little sis who was 6 then.
I still feel kind of bad about spoiling it for her...

[accioinsight7]

It is hazy, I was about 5 or 6, but it involved the restroom and my parents making way too much noise...I was heartbroken, until I opened presents the next morning.

[Dedalus Diggle]

It is hazy, I was about 5 or 6, but it involved the restroom and my parents making way too much noise...I was heartbroken, until I opened presents the next morning.
This sounds like an entirely different shocking discovery for a 5-6 year old :rotfl:

[OrbitingElle]

My parents never told me Santa Claus was real, thank goodness, so I never had to go through finding out he was fake.

I've never understood making things up and letting children believe them and thinking it's 'cute' or 'funny'. I think it makes children feel not only humiliated for believing, but betrayed by parents who lied to them. I realize that there are far worse things than the Santa Claus illusion, and in some cases it may not matter at all, but it just seems like a bad idea.

ESPECIALLY in this day and age of children mimicking video games and televion, it is very important to teach children from the very beginning of their comprehension the difference between fantasy and reality. This is probably too heavy of a conversation for this light hearted thread, but I think that this fool-the-kids--it-doesn't-matter mentality we all seem to have probably contributes to a lot of negative peronality traits when these children grow up.

[jasper]

What?!? :wow: He's not real?

[house elf 13]

I'm Jewish. We always knew that there was no Santa (or Easter Bunny) but were told by our parents that Christian children believed these things and that it was up to their parents, not us, to enlighten them.

[kaceypurple]

I think I just found out and asked my mom in the car one day. I think I was 6. My mom still likes to pretend I belive in him though.

[LuvHP_001]

Too much clues lead to believe it.

1.The handwriting on the notes were identical to my mom's.
2.My dad is a pig and i caught him eating santa's cookies!!! *tears running*
3.My mom constantly kept asking me "what do you want santa to get you honey?"
4.when my mom asked what i wanted she said i should get a dress (i didn't wanna) and then i got a dress on new year's eve and my mom said " see honey? santa knows ALL!" :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Jenn_]

I had a plan...i told Santa in the mall one thing i wanted and told my mother the other. When i got what i told my mom and not the other way around i had my answer. There was then a long discussion and i cried. But that year i had a special christmas present that had from santa and it was scratched out and under neither it from Mom and Dad.

[LuvHP_001]

I had a plan...i told Santa in the mall one thing i wanted and told my mother the other. When i got what i told my mom and not the other way around i had my answer. There was then a long discussion and i cried. But that year i had a special christmas present that had from santa and it was scratched out and under neither it from Mom and Dad.

:wow: ..so are u saying he's real?

[Raven_Girly]

I don't remeber exactly when it was that I discovered Santa was a myth, but I suppose I found out from my friends. I vaqguely remeber one day at school, when i was about 7 or 8, i was sitting with my friends at lunch time and we were debating whether Santa existed or not. I think I was on the "Pro" side...

[hpfan_08]

Whats wrong with you guys he is real:upset:

I found out when I was..well actually I never remeber finding out. I think it might have been my friend who told me (some friend he was) but honsestly I don't know how I found out.

[ShellyBell18]

I don't remember the age that I finally realized Santa wasn't real. Even though I knew it though, I would still get presents from Santa, and to this day even though I don't live at home Santa still puts things in my stocking at my mom's place. I know once I did realize that Santa wasn't real, I'd still put out cookies and milk and tell my dad that I expected them gone by morning. :D

[Potters Goblet]

If we're getting technical santa claus is based on a real person. But I found out about the fat guy in the red suit when I was 9. My best friend, Shane, told me. He'd just found out and thought he'd share the news with me. So I went home and asked my mom and she told me a story basically like the one you'd find here at this website:

http://www.reasonfortheseason.com/realsanta.html

I was nine so this obviously wasn't the exact tale she told me but it's the spirit of what she said.

and like my fiance's mother says, "If you stop believing in him, he won't come for you." Well my stocking had a bunch in it this year so I think it's safe to say I still believe in the magic of Christmas.

Edit: Oh I forgot to mention that I was so angry when I found out that my mother had lied to me about the fat guy in the red suit that I turned around and told my four-year-old cousin that he wasn't real. Later I told him that I'd lied but I honestly don't think he ever believed in Santa after that. And I never felt good about it... not one second.

[Carding]

I never did believe in him; I was furious when my father told me younger siblings that he existed, so I had a plan based on their other beliefs... I offered to babysit them any time Dad wanted to go out, and I was also livid that they were scared of the monster under the bed that I moved the bed aside, went to the kitchen and took out the meat cleaver, and 'killed the monster', they never believed in it again. I did the same with Santa and Tooth Fairy... I 'killed' them, and tolf my younger siblings that they were both so powerful that tiny bits of them exist in parents everywhere, and they do the jobs...

[SmoochHeart]

Santa is real.

[Potters Goblet]

I never did believe in him; I was furious when my father told me younger siblings that he existed, so I had a plan based on their other beliefs... I offered to babysit them any time Dad wanted to go out, and I was also livid that they were scared of the monster under the bed that I moved the bed aside, went to the kitchen and took out the meat cleaver, and 'killed the monster', they never believed in it again. I did the same with Santa and Tooth Fairy... I 'killed' them, and tolf my younger siblings that they were both so powerful that tiny bits of them exist in parents everywhere, and they do the jobs...


I don't know if anyone else is gonna say it but I might as well. This may be the sickest thing I've ever read in my life....

"Lord I apologize right there, and please bless them pygmies for me..."

[Carding]

Aww, have a sense of humour, miladdo! Did I say I was proud of it? No, I don't think so.
Did I say I did it out of fatigue from being woke up at two in the morning? No, I didn;t say it, but it's true...

[Potters Goblet]

Aww, have a sense of humour, miladdo! Did I say I was proud of it? No, I don't think so.
Did I say I did it out of fatigue from being woke up at two in the morning? No, I didn;t say it, but it's true...

Yes, yes... but still. It's a might disturbing! But as a writer it does make for an interesting story plot.

[Carding]

And I might add that I'm a depressive whose only comforts were a gf (dead) and occasionally a cool grandad (dead) and my friends (all off on holiday at the time), and sleep, not very readily available for someone who is also an insomniac... You just settle down only to get trampled on... "Jack, I can hear sleigh bells, can you hear sleigh bells?" Under the circumstances, I was quite tactful, don't you think?

[Claireyellen]

I found out when I was around 7 - had had doubts earlier though. These were mainly based around the fact that my parents were divorced and they told me that Father Christmas came to both houses. I then thought that this wasn't fair and FC wouldn't do this. Oh and why did I get all these presents when chilren in Africa had nothing.

Unsure what I'll tell my kids, I like the idea of it but am lying at the end of the day.

[Psammead]

I was very late finding out, about ten I think! One day around Christmas my Mum sat me down and said 'do you seriously believe there's a big fat man who rides around with a bunch of reindeer delivering presents at Christmas?' I just went 'Er...no, of course I don't believe that' and then spent the rest of the day recovering from the shock!

[tonks442]

I'm not Christian, and so my family never celebrated Christmas so I knew that Santa was not real. I remember telling my friends when I was probably in 1st or 2nd grade that Santa wasn't real. They got really mad and wouldn't believe me...I suppose I ruined a couple of kids' Christmas'...:lol:

[Potters Goblet]

I found out when I was around 7 - had had doubts earlier though. These were mainly based around the fact that my parents were divorced and they told me that Father Christmas came to both houses. I then thought that this wasn't fair and FC wouldn't do this. Oh and why did I get all these presents when chilren in Africa had nothing.

Unsure what I'll tell my kids, I like the idea of it but am lying at the end of the day.
As a writer, I lie for a living. does that make me a bad person? There's no Alex Mendez in Gilmer or Longview, Texas that's married to Lisa. He has no daughter Christina and no son, Joseph currently in the hospital. He was never injured in that horrible fall and Lisa was never shot during her pregnancy.

You're not lying to your children by telling them about santa claus. You're feeding their love for make-believe. Yes it's traumatic when they find out he wasn't real but as they get older they learn how much fun mom and dad has had sneaking around at 3 in the morning to put out presents, take that big bite out of the cookie and drink half the milk, leaving just enough to know that he'd been there and had 47 million other glasses of milk waiting for him.

This year, we saw "Santa" at Wal-mart. (me and my six year old son). he was a cheap santa... a really crappy looking one with the whole fake beard that you could see sliding off his face. My son looks at his mom and goes "Mom i don't think that was Santa." Quickly I stepped in and said "you don't?" and he said 'No'. So I said "Well maybe it was santa's brother." And he said "Santa has a brother?" and I said "yeah, you've never heard of Bubba Claus?" Of course he shook his head no. I said "Well during this time of year, santa can't possibly be at every mall and wal-mart every moment so he gets his brothers to help... there's Bubba Claus, Cletus Claus and Frank Claus. I'm sure there are others but those are the only ones that I met..."

So anyway we go to the mall and we see a very real-looking santa. REAL Beard... the whole shot. My son was like "dad! that's really him!" and when he was sitting on santa's lap he made sure to mention "We saw one of your brothers at wal-mart..." eliciting a confused smile and (i'm sure) a ton of unspoken questions from the jolly ol' elf.

Now my fiance' calls me "the Dad that saved Christmas!" she's having a hard time realizing her "baby" isn't a baby anymore. And he IS starting to question some things. I figure what does it hurt to give her one more year. By next year he'll be too smart for the Bubba Claus story to work I bet. But i Tell you what it sure as heck put my creative juices to work... Talk about having to think quickly!

[Amina]

santa's not real? :scared: :upset:

In all seriousness...I really don't reemmber. I do remember being about 10 (yes, 10) and trying to convince myself that Santa WOULD by stuff from the phoenix store, but I think I had doubts before that. I just liked getting the presents and thought it was fun. I do remember not believing in the tooth fairy very early on, and trying to think of ways to catch my mum out.

Santa doesn't come no more though :( *sniffle* I will definately keep it up for my kids though - I think believing in Santa is a great thing!

[Inkwolf]

As a writer, I lie for a living. does that make me a bad person? There's no Alex Mendez in Gilmer or Longview, Texas that's married to Lisa. He has no daughter Christina and no son, Joseph currently in the hospital. He was never injured in that horrible fall and Lisa was never shot during her pregnancy.

You're not lying to your children by telling them about santa claus. You're feeding their love for make-believe.

Well, I don't really want to turn this into a debate about the morality of Santa Claus, but...

When you write a work of fiction, the person who reads it KNOWS it's not true. That's what makes it fiction.

If you claim your fiction is true, and publish it as non-fiction, you are inviting fraud and libel lawsuits. Even writing fiction which slants the facts your book is based on (i.e. the Da Vinci Code) is enough to make it highly controversial.

You're only 'fueling a love of make-believe' if both sides know that that is what it is. If only you know the truth, then it's nothing more than a con.

Just my opinion.

[Arwen42]

I think I was about 6 or 7. I am the youngest and the only daughter in my family. My brothers are 9 and the twins 19 years older than me, so I guess I bugged them quite a lot. I always kept on wondering if Santa really would go to every kid's house all around the world in one night. I would ask my brother's and they would get really upset when I asked them about Santa. I assumed they were hiding me something. I kept on bothering them and one of the twins shouted at me that he didn't exist, that I was right and I was a sneaky little girl.

I wanted to be right, but immediately when he told me this I got terribly sad. In a way I wanted to be wrong. But then he saw me like that and he said that even though Santa wansn't real, he thought that there is a little Santa in all of us, and that is why we gave presents to each other. Because we cared. It wasn't exacly like this, but that is what I mainly remember. Then I clearly remember that he begged me not to speak about this to my friends, and just in case to our dad's. lol

[michelle3654]

I just asked my mom one day while we were eating breakfast, and she told me the truth.

[Lyndz]

How`d you find out Santa wasn`t real? I found out by the handwriting on the gift. I could tell my parent`s handwriting anywhere. It was so obvious.How`d you find out?

Once someone came along on a christmas eve and went around knocking all the doors and giving gifts to children. when i asked my parents, they told me it was Santa. he came to my house too and talked to me. he lifted me. for fun, i pulled his beard ! that was all ! and i knew he wasn't real :rotfl:

[Chloe]

Once someone came along on a christmas eve and went around knocking all the doors and giving gifts to children. when i asked my parents, they told me it was Santa. he came to my house too and talked to me. he lifted me. for fun, i pulled his beard ! that was all ! and i knew he wasn't real :rotfl:
Lol! once our neighbor came down, dressed as santa, and gave me my gifts. I knew it was our neighbor.
"you aren't santa, you're chuck!" and he was like,
"Who is this chuck? My name is Nick! I am good ol st. nick, also known as santa claus." It went on for an hour lol.
But i figured it out like hogwarts grl4- my dad wrote from santa on the gift and dad has messy hand writing

[DocHollidaywe]

My father is a police officer and he dresses up like Santa for the kids in the town. When I was about 3 or 4, I watched Dad get dressed one day .... It was weird, they tired pulling it off that Dad was Santa, but that didn't work. Oh well ... Just meant that if there was something that wasn't on my list that I wanted I could run up to Mom and say ... Instead of blah blah can I have a blah blah

[Holly is Short]

I started to doubt if he (santa) existed when I was three. It was never really a big deal like "O NO! Santa's not real?!" I always knew that he didn't exist. Maybe I was a baby genius?....

[Bunny]

Ahhh, I have to say that I was 10 when my mum told me he wasn't real and I was devastated.
She then told me that my little sister (who was 8) didn't know and that I wasn't to tell her. :eyebrows:
My sister and I had a big argument not long after and I told her, :td:
I felt really rotten but the damage was done.

[leonida_marvolo]

I was devastated the day I found out Santa wasn't real. First off, let's just say that I should have figured it out WAY before I actually did. I always thought it was odd that the writing on the gifts looked a lot like like my mother's, and that the Santa Claus at the Mall sounded exactly like my Grandpa (my Grandpa was the Mall Santa Claus on and off for about 8 years), but frankly, I was willing to believe anything my parents told me (I was very naive and impressionable :p ).

Anyway, one day before Christmas I was down in our basement exploring, which was something I liked to do quite often- it was a big basement with lots of nooks and crannies, boxes full of old things that were fun to look at, and other interesting junk. In the corner I spotted an old favourite jacket of mine that my Mom had knitted for me when I was younger, so I excitedly went over to pick it up. Underneath it, in the box, was presents- yay! I had already discovered the presents from my grandma in another box in the basement and unwrapped and re-wrapped them (I was one of those kids who just couldn't wait!). So, I assumed this was just another box of granny's gifts, but no- the very top present said
"To Mallory, from SANTA"

I was absolutely shocked. My little 10-year-old world came crashing down right then and there :upset: . At first I tried to make excuses, thinking "Oh, well he must have delivered them a bit early this year because he's busy!" but I couldn't fool myself :( I actually never told my mother that I knew till about two years later, I think I was in denial! I still wish Santa was real, it made everything so much more magical, like Harry Potter :)

EDIT: Carding, I just read your reply and I have to say that I, like PottersGoblet, am a little bit horrified! I mean, I guess I can understand meat-cleaving the bogeyman under the bed, but SANTA CLAUS AND THE TOOTH FAIRY? you MONSTER :p
ok, so maybe I laughed a bit when I read it... honestly though, you better hope those kids don't run up to the next fat-guy-in-a-red-suit carrying a great big meat cleaver! the results would be disastrous...

[iluvhhr]

I don't remember my age, but I think I was a bit old. My teacher told us, and I was so disappointed. The truth was confirmed at home. My friend once told me that she thought the spirit of Santa existed. I guess I can see that.

[Silverdawn2006]

I was at school and someone happened to be talking about it, so when I got home I asked her and she told me all about it along with the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.

[Gwenog Jones]

There was no specific incident that caused me to find out, I just sort of figured it out one day. I was a pretty smart kid and one day I realized that it is not possible for a man to carry toys for every child in the world, to each house, in a single night. I walked into my parents room and said, "Mom, I know Santa isn't real so you don't have to pretend in front of me. It just isn't possible. But don't worry, I won't tell Nicky or Tyler(my brothers). She was shocked. :lol:

[Pure_Light]

I don't think I did but I think I just grew up (or out of santa)

[triki1988]

Life is so tragic once you find out.

I remember thinking this past Christmas that Santa/Baby Jesus (hispanics keep it old school :p) existed. I mean, it just makes Christmas....Christmas. But it was all too much.
I heard my mom walk into my brothers' room and putting their presents there (my brother got a drumset, which explained the dragging at one point).
Same thing for the "Dia de Reyes" (the night of Jan. 5th, the Three Wise Men come and give you a massive amount of candy). I heard my parents go into our rooms and put our candy next to our beds.

I guess when people do stuff behind your back, it makes it better. Teehee.

[Carding]

honestly though, you better hope those kids don't run up to the next fat-guy-in-a-red-suit carrying a great big meat cleaver! the results would be disastrous...
What are you saying to me?

[danfan4ever]

My cousin told me. I knew she was hiding something from me, and I'm a pretty persistent person if I know your hiding something. She ended up telling me. Then on Christmas Eve I woke up and saw my parents.

[MarcKal]

My cousin told me. I knew she was hiding something from me, and I'm a pretty persistent person if I know your hiding something. She ended up telling me. Then on Christmas Eve I woke up and saw my parents.
I think Santa is real. I'm not talking about a fatman who goes around in a red suit delievering presents and coal, I mean I think that Santa is Christmas spirit.

[Chloe]

I think Santa is real. I'm not talking about a fatman who goes around in a red suit delievering presents and coal, I mean I think that Santa is Christmas spirit.
Well put, Marc- i knew this boy was smart! :tu: :rotfl: :clap:

[mexhpfan]

It happened to me that I found my letters for Santa in the kitchen... old ones. Then I found more of them in my parent's closet and that was horrible... I studied in a religious school and the teachers were kind with that, they never told us a thing. The family was like "Oh! And what did you get from Santa?" and my parents were sneaky too but I suspected something before anyway...

When we were about to leave our house because we were going to my grandma's house my father or mother were like "I forgot..." and then they entered again into the house and that was always! Or we were in the party and suddenly my parents misteriously disappeared... So I though "If Santa goes around the world, he must know all the languages" I wrote my letter in french and english (our first language is spanish) and as I imagined, they asked "What does it say?" That was funny, but I confirmed everything with the letters incident...

As for the Tooth Fairy, here is a "Mouse" and I've been always scared of them but I wanted my money :lol: but once I saw my mom with the money in ther hands about to put it under my pillow. She still said "No, it's because the wallet was in the bed and it opened itself and all the money was everywhere" Believe me, she said that!

[teo]

During a game of hide-and-seek, I found the Alvin and the Chipmunks wrapping paper that "Santa" had used the previous Christmas hidden away in the back of the closet in the guest bedroom. Fortunately, I was old enough by this point that I was starting to wonder how exactly the guy managed to visit a billion or so homes in one day!

[cornish_pixies]

Mine is rather boring, but I read in Superfudge or some book like that that Santa wasn't real. I was devastated. But I still put on the act for a while just so I would get extra presents.

[FoxyDoxy]

I was about six and I had to use the little girls room at chchool but the infants toilets were broken so I had to go into the juniors. Gods it was scary! It was HUGE, cavernous,smelly and full of big girls!
One nasty bunch of year fours (8 year olds) were ganged moodily in the corner and beckoned me over. Their little leader bent down and asked me "do you still believe in father christmas?"
"Still?" I squeaked back
"They laughed evily and told me the truth. I couldn't believe it. I got my revenge though.. apparently they didn't know where babys came from :D

[Benzo]

I always had in mind that Santa Claus was not making sense but when 'he' came to my kindergarden and I saw his watch and jacket under his red coat, it was over, I knew it was the teacher's husband.

[Ava]

I'm a pretend-sleeper when I was a kid, since my parents tuck us in way too early. I went down the stairs and saw my mom (marker pen in hand) labeling all the Mars bars and the goodies with "to Ava and Gael, love Santa" in 'em. I was six.

[Dementor Dave]

Meh. The santa illusion wasn't prevelant at my home. I probably realised santa was not real very early, to the point of not remembering time when I thought he was.

[mexhpfan]

Now that I think about it, maybe Santa uses a Time-Turner to go around the world and give all the presents:lol: Then he exists! No, I'm kidding and now that I'm reading more messages, I remembered that I found our gifts in one room of the house, of course that I knew the truth by that time so I had to know where my parents used to hide them. Funny, looking like crazy in every place of the house...

[VelvetSkies]

I figured out Santa Claus wasn't real the year I found the receipts for the presents from "Santa" in the basement. I don't think I ever believed in Santa 100%, but I never really wanted to give in to the fact that someone couldn't really fly around the world in one night and give me presents.

My Journalism One teacher told me that she told her kid Santa didn't exist after the kid said, "I know Santa exists 'cause I know you wouldn't buy me all this cool stuff." Ha.

[Rapunzel]

My oldest brother told me. (How rude was that?!)

[Potters Goblet]

I'm the father of a six year old boy who still believes in the fat guy in the red suit. (more on this in some of my previous posts...)

My cousin has four kids ranging in ages from almost 7 years old to just about 7 months old. The oldest (a girl) came to me about a week ago and asked me why would I lie to my son and tell him about Santa Claus. So I sat her down and told her that Santa is real. Then I told her the story basically from the link I posted earlier (again see my previous posts, which I'm assuming are still up but i'm too lazy to go check.)

When I was finished, she goes "Mama lied to me!" and promptly went into the room where her mom was and balled her out for lying. This set off a firestorm argument between me and my cousin. As has been the case since we were kids, it was quite a barnburner. She told me I had no right to lie to her child and that santa wasn't real and how was I going to explain things to my son when he got older... blah blah blah. And I sat her down (not an easy task when she's angry) and said "look, just because you were traumatized because your parents made up some fat guy in a red suit doesn't mean your child is going to be traumatized by me telling her the true story of Saint Nick"

I told her that St. Nick embodies the spirit of Christmas and, in that respect he is very real and I said that was exactly what I'd told her daughter. And when the little one asked me "So st Nicholas is alive?" I said "Sort of. He's a little bit like Jesus in that he lives in all of us... but only around Christmas time." and as I was explaining this to her mom, the little girl said "Yeah mom... Jesus owns my heart, but he rents it to St. Nicholas at Christmas time."

Ah the wisdom of the young!

[beatrix]

When I was about 8 years old, our teacher at school tolds us the truth: the parents buy the gifts, santa is imaginary. She thought that we were old enough to learn about that. She was wrong I guess! I was devastated!

At home I asked my mother if that was true. She confirmed it, by giving me a comforting smile.

Whh, oh , why?? :upset: I was so young... :sad:

[Simple Plan 42]

I never really did find out from anyone else...I guess I believed in him when I was really young. Kids in school all talked about it and I just believed them. I also confirmed it by comparing 'Santa's' handwriting to my mom's...funny it just happened to be the same.

I just watched this movie in school called "The History of Santa Clause" It said that he was a person, but by a different name and from there on evolved into what we now know as Santa Clause. It originated in, I think, Egypt. It spread everywhere around the world...each country had a different thought of what he looked like...until it appeared in the newspaper. I was devastated (not)

[runitzandrew]

I believed in Santa until around the age of 9 or 10 when a classmate, now a good friend, told me my parents bought the gifts. I said "Prove it!" and she said "Look in their closet a few days before Christmas". Well I did and I got the same presents under the tree Christmas morning. That was a shocker!

[Golden_Gal]

I can't remember how old I was exactly. It just became obvious over a period of time and then one day my mum said to me "you do know that Santa isn't real don't you?" My reply was something along the lines of a classic "well duh!". My parents weren't great liers anyway. Whenever 'Santa' was mentioned they'd exchange guilty looks...
I found out the Easter Bunny when I busted my mum putting out the eggs.
The tooth fairy I think I figured out when it didn't come until around midday... Mums excuse was that she was running late. I was insulted, I had just lost TWO teeth, how could she be late!? Eventually my parents just handed me the money in person. Lol.

[Rosie Cotton]

Never believed in him. My parents told me straight off when I was one that Santa was fun and nice to play about, but he wasn't real. Neither me nor any of my brothers or sisters believed in him.

[Maribelle]

Um, well, actually he is real! Or was & simply lives on in our hearts like all dead people. We all know "Santa" is for Saint ~ St. Nicholas {or Nikolas}. He was a Russian religious man who dropped golden coins & rings into people's stockings at night as they hung near the window or fireplace to dry. Like most holidays, he has simply been "commercialized". But, the spirit of his generosity remains & will forever after so long as people remember that it was indeed a real living breathing human being who began the tradition in the first place those many centuries ago. :angel: The story is true & you can find out more about it simply by doing a web search or looking it up in the library.