When is it time to tell your kids Santa is fake?

Question

When did you tell your kids Santa did not exist or do we wait till they get mocked by there friends and they come asken us?

Answer 1

My dad told me when I was 10. I was so sad :(

Answer 2

They will find out when their heart is ready for them to find out. In the meantime, helping them know that Christmas is not all about Santa Claus is a big plus. We have fours kids, 13, 13, 11, 9. The last one, a boy, does not belive any longer this year - however, we have taught them that the spirit of Chrtistmas lives inside all the traditions and religious beliefs - so all four, and us, still act like Santa comes on Christmas Eve. Why? Because he does. Whether it be a real Santa, a parent, or a gift arriving to a poor child from an anonomous source.

Answer 3

Kids are pretty savvy, THEY WANT to believe-their friends won't "mock" them-its probably not a topic on the playground at least not at our school. You don't need to tell them Santa's a "fake," they will simply start looking at you as if you were delusional when you mention the big guy in the red suit-my kids run from 18,16,15,6 &4-we never told the BIG kids either way-they keep up the story and if anything make it more "real" with their teenage embelishments-very funny to witness

Answer 4

When they are asking logical questions that show they are thinking about the reality of one person going around the world in one night etc etc etc, it's time to talk about legends and history and celebrating the spirit of Christmas through Saint Nicholas who lived a long time ago, but set such a wonderful precedent in giving to the poor and to children on the feast day of Christmas that people across the world still celebrate his spirit. Fake is not necessarily the appropriate word - it's more sharing with them that belief is based on faith and understanding/not understanding, and letting them decide whether to believe or not, while remaining strong in their faith in the SPIRIT and MEANING of Christmas.
When I finally had this talk with both of my boys (3 years apart), they both kept the belief in Santa for at least another year, and never had the traumatic "oh my god he's not real!" horror that so many children have. We talked about other children and their opinions and beliefs, and decided together that it was OK for some to say he's not real and others to believe, and my boys would make up their own minds. It was actually quite sweet.

Answer 5

I am 61 and still believe in the spirit of Santa. Children will know there is no Santa long before they will let on to their parents. I would not tell them - let them discover it on their own and eventually will tell you. Be sure when they do that you explain that Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc. are fun family things and that you did not lie to them when you played along. Children often get confused by the Santa thing and "what else did you lie about".

Answer 6

If you let your children believe in Santa to begin with, you must have wanted to instill the spirit of Christmas, not necessarily iconify the character. It is important to be honest to your child and it's also important to maintain your integrity in their eyes.

When your child wants to know whether "Santa Claus" is a living person, they will ask. Sometimes you can evade the question if you think it would be too difficult to explain. You'll know when you can't avoid the honest answer.

A good way to respond to the question "Is Santa Claus Real?" is to explain the real story of Saint Nicholas and how he came to personify Santa Claus and how parents act to honor the "spirit of Saint Nick" (in delivering gifts and pretending). That is, after all, why we parents perpetuate the story, isn't it?

It's also good to discuss the true spirit of Christmas and its meaning or whatever meaning the holiday has for you in a personal or spiritual sense. The family is after all, the central focus of this holiday and the themes woven into it serve the good purpose of teaching about sharing and giving--vital social behaviors in this day and age.

The response you give to the "mocking" can also have a positive or negative effect. If they were subject to mocking on account of their position on Santa Claus, you can allow them to put the mocking behind them with dignity if you explain things the way I just suggested. It makes the child feel "all grown up" in a sense and I'm sure you recognize how important it is to kids to feel like their growing up.

You can also explain why it isn't nice to mock people. Doing so should diminish the effect any mocking might have caused. Believe me, parents who allow their kids to behave that way to other people will have a rude awakening some day.

All in all, keep true to the spirit of Christmas and you'll be able to let them down easy without compromising their love or respect for you.

Answer 7

When you have had enough of some stranger getting credit for the gifts YOU bought shopped, chose and paid for, (assembled)as well as the time spent among rude strangers doing all of this stuff.

I am not a Grinch but I firmly believe kids need to appreciate ALL the things their parents do for them, not just the routine stuff like cooking, cleaning, grocery/clothing buying, school stuff but Christmas stuff too.

P.S. There is no Easter Bunny.

P.S.S. I never told my kids there was a Santa Claus or an Easter Bunny. They found out about these warm and fuzzy holiday reps when they went to kindergarten. They asked me about it, and we had a talk. I told them there was no such people. I told them that I was their 'Santa Claus' and their Easter Bunny. But I also told them that some parents didn't mind their kids believing in these stories and asked them not to spoil it for their friends who believed.

Answer 8

I don't have any children, but I have a 3 year old twin niece and a nephew. I can honestly say that I don't remember my parents telling me there wasn't a Santa - I can't even remember when or how I discovered there wasn't a Santa. Do people actually remember this as a heartbreaking moment of their childhood? Do they remember feeling as if they had been lied to by their parents? I think I was the one that told my parents that Santa wasn't real, that he was just imaginary. And I'm pretty sure they told me to keep it to myself because my little Sister was three and a half year's younger than me. I do remember my Mother always saying that once we both knew that Santa wasn't real, Christmas wasn't fun for her anymore.

Answer 9

at 12

Answer 10

Santa exist in anybody who believes in him. Parents or relatives can be Santa to the children. Its the person that mocks the other who believes in Santa thats pathetic.

Answer 11

I was never told that he doesn't exist.

I wasn't teased or ridiculed, and by the time I was old enough to consider that he was a myth, I was also mature enough to realize that Santa isn't so much a person as a spirit to be shared by people during a time of giving.