Denisemomof4 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 no, and they are instructed to never discuss this with other kids who may believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkwynn Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My 9 year old has definitely questioned it a lot the past couple years, but from the things he says, I think he still wants to believe, whether he actually believes or not. So this year, I am going to take him out for his birthday (in early December) and let him in on it. I read something that seems perfect for him, and I think I read it here, but could never find it in a search... Santa is: Someone Anonymous Nice Thoughtful and Able (I might've remembered this acronym incorrectly - if anyone can think of a better word for N, I'm all ears, lol. :bigear: ) So in this sense, Santa IS real. And it isn't always mom/dad - it can be anyone! Even him! I'm hoping this year he will want to play along and see how fun it can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Please tell me they will not forever be scarred... Well, they might be if you tell them before they are ready to let go of all of it. We let ours believe, until they are ready to accept it. One of my 13 yr olds still believes, and would be traumatized if I just "told her". That said, I think she doesn't really 100% believe, but doesn't quite want to let go yet. But the truth needs to come when she is ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 no, and they are instructed to never discuss this with other kids who may believe. :iagree: for our oldest......the rest still think he is real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairyMom Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My kids know it is legend. Sometimes they pretend to believe, and that's fine with me. When they ask me, I tell the truth, but otherwise they think what they like. Same here. They treat it like other fun tales, like fairies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Well, my mother has never admitted that Santa isn't real, so I guess I still believe in him! :D It's the same for me! And it's the same with my kids, ages 17 & 21. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Mine never believed. We told them the stories, but were very clear that it was just a story. When they were younger, we pretended together. But they've always known for sure that Santa isn't real. I had a very tough time when I learned the truth. I felt humiliated and lied to, and I believe it caused serious damage to my relationship with my parents. I'm in the minority, of course. I know most kids do just fine with it. But, given my own experience, I knew from the beginning that I didn't want to "do Santa" with my own children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm pretty sure my mom thought I still believed in Santa well into college. :lol: I figured it out when I was four or five, but I didn't have the heart to tell her because it looked like she was having so much fun. So, I faked it for yeeeeeeears. Really though, I'm pretty sure she thought I still believed until I was 10 or 11. She still insists there was no way I knew. I'm a good actress. This sounds like it could have been written by my kids. :001_smile: When they got to about age 9 or 10, and they started hinting that they didn't believe any more, I told them straight out that if they decided not to believe, they should NEVER let me know. I asked them to humor me and keep it going, and they've done just that. Dh & I still wait for ER (21) & EK (17) to go to bed on Christmas Eve and then we put out their gifts, just like when they were little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My dd13 says she still believes in Santa but I have my doubts, she just doesn't like growing up. Ds9 still does. Ds3 doesn't count. I wish none of them believed anymore. I don't want to have to worry about "Santa" anymore. I just don't know how to tell them, so I avoid it! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I can see the gears turning in ds's head--I'm fairly sure he's figured it out but is not ready to verbalize it and make it real. The younger's still believe. I think this is the year we'll have the Talk with ds. (No, no that talk.:D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Then this year at Easter he asked me for the "real real" truth about the Easter Bunny, so I told him, and then the whole line of dominoes fell, including Santa. ;) Well, it started with the Easter Bunny and one thing led to the other, ya know. Mine was about 8-1/2 when he figured it out. He started with the Easter Bunny, and by the end of the day had worked his way to Santa and the Tooth Fairy. I guess it's that Easter Bunny that does Santa in! The funny thing with my DS is that his reason for disbelieving the Easter Bunny was that bunnies can't be that big. The idea that a bunny could visit every house in the world and bring candy was fine with him, but it was the fact that it was a really big bunny that he knew was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Both of my sons did - until about the age of 10. I decided that after about age 7, if they ever directly asked me, I would be honest with them - but they seemed to want to beleive until 10, and I think even though there were doubts - they didn't ask :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My kids (4 and 5) believe. Call me scrooge, but I don't think I'll be sad when they figure it out - and I wouldn't mind it being sooner rather than later. But I don't think I will crush them with the revelation this year. The Santa thing is fun, but it's complicated to keep everything straight. As others have pointed out, there are some communication and logic issues that present themselves, and it can take some manipulating to get around them. Seems silly when you're just postponing the inevitable. But I think my family would disown me if I up and told the kids this young. Also, I don't want them to ruin it for other kids. (They push Santa pretty hard at daycare, beginning in early November.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I guess it's that Easter Bunny that does Santa in! The funny thing with my DS is that his reason for disbelieving the Easter Bunny was that bunnies can't be that big. The idea that a bunny could visit every house in the world and bring candy was fine with him, but it was the fact that it was a really big bunny that he knew was wrong. :lol: Mine had the same questions. How can a bunny be that big? Then he considered that it was a person dressed as a bunny, but if so, why did people talk about him as though he was a real rabbit? After he found out the truth about the Easter Bunny, and he asked about Santa, I asked him if he really wanted to know. He said yes, so I guess he was ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk17 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I got thinking about this today- my kids are almost 7yo and apparently they still believe. We never started out pushing the whole Santa thing, but they certainly picked up on and ran with it. They love the whole thing- the stories, the pictures, etc. (and of course the presents!) I know not everyone does Santa, but wondering who else has kids (especially first grade and up) that believe. If they don't believe, did they used to and how did they find out? Thanks. I believe in Santa and so should anybody that wants the US economy to get going! We consumers make up 70% of the economy and we spend 70% at Christmas time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I don't think DS3 even knows what a Santa is. We've never told them "Santa's coming!", but I know he's seen Santa stuff on TV and decorations. He is already so excited for Christmas and buying and wrapping presents and tree decorating, it never crossed my mind to bring up Santa Claus. Hmm, maybe later this year or next he'll start talking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbkaren Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My son (6) does. I have been through this with two other sets of kids (DS20 and DD21, and ex-stepdaughters who are now 29 and 31), and this time, I've treated Santa in a more nebulous fashion. He's more a "Christmas spirit" and the Santas at the store are "his helpers dressed up". Sure, he still watches the little guy to see if he's naughty or nice, but making him sort of non-human eliminates a lot of the logistical issues ("How does he fit down the chimney? Shouldn't we douse the fire so he doesn't get burned?") I hope this will make it less of a disappointment when the truth is revealed to him. I hope that it can transition more easily into a "Christmas spirit lives in each one of us...in the joy of giving to others" kind of thing. That's the plan, anyway. I still remember the day my Mom told me the truth and it was really, really heartbreaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I don't think DS3 even knows what a Santa is. We've never told them "Santa's coming!", but I know he's seen Santa stuff on TV and decorations. He is already so excited for Christmas and buying and wrapping presents and tree decorating, it never crossed my mind to bring up Santa Claus. Hmm, maybe later this year or next he'll start talking about it. My DS is 4 and this rings really true. We've never had any presents under the tree from "Santa" but we don't make a big deal about it at all. This year we have some books I've put on the shelves about Christmas and he's started pulling those books. One is called "Is Santa Real?" and he pulled that one in the last week and accepted it after read and went on. We read the classic tales and watch Frosty the Snowman, etc. But we don't pretend in any way that Santa is real. They do the Elf game at childcare and he finds that fun there. So far--it has not been an issue. He's 4 now, understands more this year. So we'll see. Our family idea of what we are trying to get across is that Santa is what real people write on gifts when they want to give anonymously -- and it is rude to try to find out who gave you an anonymous gift whether they wrote "A Friend" or "Santa". So there is no such person -- but you also accept in the idea given. So when we go and pick a name off the Christmas tree and buy a gift for someone else, then we are playing Santa for that person. Etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest michellebaker78 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Yea. I don't want to tell them until they figure it out on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My girls are 7 and 4 and definitely still believe! We are very conservative Christians, and we definitely stress that Jesus is the main reason for the season....but I love the magic of Santa and that the month of December brings. I'll never "out" Santa. They'll have to figure it out on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 We've never played Santa. My kids know the story, but it's just that-a story. We do not do any fictional characters though. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My dd9 has never believed in Santa. I think my ds8 does. We don't make a big deal out of Santa. Our kids know that they get gifts from us. We label one gift from Santa just to be fun, but we have never stressed the Santa thing. My dd17 came to us as a pre-teen from an orphanage overseas. When she first heard about Santa she was completely disgusted. She said, "How come he never comes to [country where she came from]?" She had a poor grasp of reality vs. fantasy at that time, so we explained to her quite plainly that Santa is just a made-up story. No way did I want my kid to think that Santa neglected orphans!! Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 We have a rule that if you don't believe in Santa, then you don't get presents from Santa. That way, I don't have to admit hat my kids have grown out of Santa. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I can't believe these rumors of no Santa have started already! :svengo: :iagree:We are big Santa fans here!! We all believe!! But I am a holiday nut. I love all holidays and celebrate them like Martha Stewart on crack. :lol: So Christmas is a no-holds barred, all out, over-the-top, extravaganza of epic proportions. We decorate, bake, shop, sing, and then do it some more, all the way from St. Nicholas Day until Twelfth Night. St. Nicholas visits on the eve of his feast day to leave the kiddos gold chocolate coins and other candies and Christmas books, DVDs, etc. to help them get into the spirit of the season. We also celebrate Advent and light a marked countdown candle, read scripture, and do Advent activities every night through Christmas Eve. We choose a family from the "Angel Tree" in the mall and shop like crazy to make sure they have a wonderful holiday. This is one of the fun things I love to do with my dd. We always choose a family with little girls, because we LOVE to buy girly-girl presents. We always try to get tickets for our church's (LDS) Christmas program in downtown Salt Lake. Because nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit faster than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing holiday songs. :D In addition, we always try to see either Manheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra on their holiday stops in Salt Lake. We bake and decorate a gingerbread house for our kitchen table centerpiece through the season. The plans get more outlandish and less structurally feasible every year. And of course, the big man in red arrives with his sack full of toys every Christmas Eve (after our holiday movie marathon). Even though my two oldest kiddos are college-age...they still want Santa to leave one gift at the end of their bed. They also still want to see the "snow" footprints (cornstarch) Santa left from our fireplace up to the Christmas tree. Twelfth Night we celebrate with a huge Italian dinner and then games. At some point, the Wisemen come and leave three gifts for each child (usually things that are special but not "flashy" or over-the-top fun...gifts that may have been overlooked on Christmas morning in the melee). And then Christmas is over and I have to start planning for Valentine's Day.:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splinter Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 We make a big deal about Santa here, and my younger three still believe. My oldest found out the truth when he was 5, so he gets to "be Santa" every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlygirlzx2 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 No, my 7 yr. old stopped believing a couple of years ago. Her reasons being that Santa can't be in every mall at the same time, he can't get into a house without a chimney, and he can't possible deliver toys to all the kids who celebrate Christmas in one night. Sometimes I have to stop her from telling her friends he's not real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I got thinking about this today- my kids are almost 7yo and apparently they still believe. We never started out pushing the whole Santa thing, but they certainly picked up on and ran with it. They love the whole thing- the stories, the pictures, etc. (and of course the presents!) I know not everyone does Santa, but wondering who else has kids (especially first grade and up) that believe. If they don't believe, did they used to and how did they find out? Thanks. No, never have. We don't really 'do' Santa. I don't have a problem with it, or think its evil or anything (like some of my Christian friends do :lol: ) but we just always thought it was kinda silly. Christmas is magical whether you believe in Santa or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 No, my girls have always known Santa is just pretend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 No, we've always talked about St. Nicholas the person and then stressed Santa (and the Tooth Fairy) as a game between parents and children. We certainly don't want to ruin anyone else's game. We have a really lively Tooth Fairy game ourselves. It tends to be even more fun when the kids are in on it. I'm a little weirded out by all the people who gleefully say, 'I tell my kids if they don't believe they don't get the gifts!' Maybe its just me but that seems like an odd and selfish way to pull kids in. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Giving people stuff to pretend something is true. Threatening to cut someone's gifts if they don't want to participate. :confused: Not really Santa-y IMO. Not that I have a problem with other people doing the Santa thing. My parents did it. I just don't like the attempt to pin kids into it for our own benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 No, my kids never believed. We have never spent one Christmas morning at our own house because we travel to see family. We always have to do our gifts before we leave, so I figured it would be short-lived to try and convince the kids that we get Santa to come to our house as much as a week early. They know about the idea of Santa and Polar Express is a personal favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My dd9 has never believed in Santa. I think my ds8 does. We don't make a big deal out of Santa. Our kids know that they get gifts from us. We label one gift from Santa just to be fun, but we have never stressed the Santa thing. My dd17 came to us as a pre-teen from an orphanage overseas. When she first heard about Santa she was completely disgusted. She said, "How come he never comes to [country where she came from]?" She had a poor grasp of reality vs. fantasy at that time, so we explained to her quite plainly that Santa is just a made-up story. No way did I want my kid to think that Santa neglected orphans!! Tara This happened last year for my sister's family. They were hosting a young boy from Haiti who was here to have multiple surgeries on his eye and face. My sister and BIL had to explain to her kids that there was no Santa because they couldn't explain why Santa didn't go to Haiti. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennay Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Didn't read any other responses yet... We teach our kids about the real St. Nicholas and how we are to imitate his life in Christ - which includes serving others and giving gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knit247 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Well, they might be if you tell them before they are ready to let go of all of it. We let ours believe, until they are ready to accept it. Thanks for this. DH & I talked some more tonight & we're not going to tell her just yet. I might get a book on St. Nicholas - here in Germany they celebrate der Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas Day), and I think the girls would really enjoy the story. I had a very tough time when I learned the truth. I felt humiliated and lied to, and I believe it caused serious damage to my relationship with my parents...given my own experience, I knew from the beginning that I didn't want to "do Santa" with my own children. That's my worst fear. I almost wish that we hadn't made such a big deal out of Santa (and all the others!). But I am a holiday nut. I love all holidays and celebrate them like Martha Stewart on crack. :lol: :iagree: I love all holidays. I had to LOL at the bolded :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Martin Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Do your kids believe in Santa? They believe that he's part of Imaginary Land like other beloved characters such as Lightning McQueen and Buzz Lightyear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 No, not really. I never believed in him growing up and didn't really want to teach that to my kids, but DH and his family are all about it. So, our compromise is that they KNOW he isn't real, that he is just a fun thing to go along with the holidays. I have thought about teaching them about the real St. Nicholas this year though now that they are slightly older. They both know not to ruin it for kids who DO believe though. We focus more on Jesus and giving to others. We don't do the Easter bunny or the tooth fairy either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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