Santa isn't Real - What was your initial reaction?

Question

What was your reaction to finding out that Santa wasn't real? How old were you? Did it not bother you? Did you in turn question the existence of God? Were you angry at your parents? Please share your story.

Answer 1

I never believed on such existence but i love how kids put smiles on their faces when then see someone in a Santa Costume. I don't like to ruin their happiness.

Answer 2

What does the existence of santa have to do with God. I told my child that there is no santa at a young age and why we truly celebrate Christmas. We are celebrating the birth of Christ, which is a lot more important than some fat man coming down a chimney with presents. Unless santa is going to the Cross for my sins, it's not important. Have a Blessed day!

Answer 3

I can't remember how old I was (probably around 8). I remember I was obsessing about getting my Christmas list done so I could give it to Santa. I was trying to find good paper for it and I was probably annoying my parents to no end. I remember getting a slip of wrapping paper and announcing that I was about to write my list.

That's when my dad told me to come to him. He said that they made up Santa Clause and that he wasn't real. I was devastated. I really did believe in him with all my little heart. It felt like the magic of Christmas shattered before my very eyes. He said that all parents tell their kids the same story. I asked why they would do such a mean thing- to make them believe in something and then tell them it isn't true. He said that it was so parents could give gifts to their children without taking the credit for giving them. I understood that side of the arguement, but I was angry and heartbroken that parents would put their children through that. I asked him why he told me and he said it was because I was old enough to know.

After that, I didn't want to write my list. He told me to do it, though, and so like a good little girl I obeyed. However, the list seemed to be significantly less important to me that year.

It never occurred to me to question the existence of God right then and there, but I did wonder about it later. I mean, if they lied to me about one man doing miraculous things, why wouldn't a supernatural, all-seeing, all-knowing being be a lie as well?

I know it seems nothing, but I really did believe in Santa with every fiber of my being, and that experience was absolutely unforgettable. Since then, I have vowed never to tell my children about him- or at least I would say that it's just a story from the very beginning. Strangely enough, I haven't changed my mind all these years.

Answer 4

When I was young, Santa was always part of our family's Christmas tradition. I did not get mad when I found out he was not real because I'd rather choose the good memories I had on Christmas where Santa always played one of the best parts of our family's tradition which was the gift giving. I will always treasure that memory and no doubt of Santa Clause's existence can erase it.

Answer 5

I grew up in a household headed by an atheist who REFUSED to teach as fact anything that couldn't be scientifically proven. So neither my sister nor I ever believed Santa, the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny were real.

Answer 6

I am going to assume you are being serious. My Mom always told us Santa was in all of our hearts and that as long as we always believed in goodwill Santa would bring presents. I still at 34 get a present from Santa. :-) My Mom always had us buy presents from Santa for kids in our class that we were pretty sure wouldn't get a Xmas as we lived in a very small, poor community growing up and we would wrap them and take them to put on their door Xmas eve. She said we were all Santa.

Answer 7

I have no memory of ever believing in Santa. I have a vivid memory of kids in kindergarten talking about Santa and thinking "huh, Santa is just pretend".

Answer 8

I found out from my friends and then pretended that Santa existed to keep getting the gifts.

Answer 9

My father never told us about Santa (although I head about it when I started Kindergarten)... so I never grew up believing the Santa myth. He taught us that Jesus provided for our needs and gave us blessings so we could bless others with gifts. Christmas was, and has always been about celebrating the birth of Jesus in my life. I'm thankful for that!

Answer 10

Relief... no more worrying about who else could break into our house by sliding down the chimney. Surely if Santa could enter in undetected with presents, someone else could certainly come in and leave with what Santa brought me last year :)