At what age?

baileydog

I wanna be a SMIB
It all depends on the kid....my 2 oldest found out that there was no "Santa" when my oldest was about 9(the other one was 6) and they told my next one the following year(he was 5)

My girl found out when she was about 6 or 7 and my youngest has never "believed" in Santa

How sad for your youngest to have never believed. Your older kids are just mean for telling and I would have shut them up permanatly. Kids need to believe in fairy tells and easter bunnys and such, it helps stimulate the imagination. JMO.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
As a general...

At what age do you feel a child should know that Santa is not real? I reallize it may be different for every child but as a general rule?

...rule, the first trip on a school bus normally takes care of that. Immediately followed by the 'spirit of Christmas' conversation.
 

JPC sr

James P. Cusick Sr.
The truth will set us all free.

Until that happens why not just STxU
:popcorn: I see you share your dirty language with women and children just as you promote telling them lies.

Why can not one see that lies and profanities are wrong to spread around?
:duel:
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Jp...

:popcorn: I see you share your dirty language with women and children just as you promote telling them lies.

Why can not one see that lies and profanities are wrong to spread around?
:duel:

...to the question, just to be a smart azz. At what age is it appropriate for kids to tell their parents there is no Santa?

:buddies:
 
S

Special_K44

Guest
Believing in Santa

My 11 year old still believes in Santa I think it is great because it makes christmas extra special.
 

Dymphna

Loyalty, Friendship, Love
I've told this story before whenever it comes up here, but here I go again.


When I was 7, a little boy in my class told everyone that Santa was fake. We debated it for a while and then I went home and asked Mom...she told me they'd been faking it all along. I was devastated. I had the most miserable Christmas ever. She told me also that when my older brother was 6, they decided that he needed to know, so Dad took him aside and told him. He refused to talk to my parents for a week. My parents decided that with me, they needed to wait until I started asking questions.

So, my brother and I devised a plan. When our younger brother (at that time he wasn't yet 2) started to question it, we plotted to intercept his questions and not allow him to talk to our parents about it. It worked. He's 32 and no one ever spoiled it for him.

The fact is, all kids will outgrow the myth in their own time. They can and should be allowed to be children for as long as possible. Don't take the joy out of Christmas.

Now, I will add the disclaimer that if you just can't afford Christmas and your children have to live with the daily reality of poverty, at some point you may have not choice, but those children are the ones who need the myth of unselfish giving the most.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Ok...

I've told this story before whenever it comes up here, but here I go again.


When I was 7, a little boy in my class told everyone that Santa was fake. We debated it for a while and then I went home and asked Mom...she told me they'd been faking it all along. I was devastated. I had the most miserable Christmas ever. She told me also that when my older brother was 6, they decided that he needed to know, so Dad took him aside and told him. He refused to talk to my parents for a week. My parents decided that with me, they needed to wait until I started asking questions.

So, my brother and I devised a plan. When our younger brother (at that time he wasn't yet 2) started to question it, we plotted to intercept his questions and not allow him to talk to our parents about it. It worked. He's 32 and no one ever spoiled it for him.

The fact is, all kids will outgrow the myth in their own time. They can and should be allowed to be children for as long as possible. Don't take the joy out of Christmas.

Now, I will add the disclaimer that if you just can't afford Christmas and your children have to live with the daily reality of poverty, at some point you may have not choice, but those children are the ones who need the myth of unselfish giving the most.



...but what IS Christmas? I mean, Santa Claus isn't a lie; He is the super commercialized embodiment of peace on earth and good will towards all men.
Gift giving, fellowship. That's pretty much the ideas of Chirst, right? Throw in trraditional winter celebrations and some egg nog. :buddies:
 

JPC sr

James P. Cusick Sr.
The truth will set us all free.

When I was 7, a little boy in my class told everyone that Santa was fake. We debated it for a while and then I went home and asked Mom...she told me they'd been faking it all along. I was devastated. I had the most miserable Christmas ever. She told me also that when my older brother was 6, they decided that he needed to know, so Dad took him aside and told him. He refused to talk to my parents for a week. My parents decided that with me, they needed to wait until I started asking questions.
:diva: I do not remember the age I was - maybe 5 - 10 years old, but I do remember well the event of finding out that EVERYBODY that I knew and I had trusted had all - ALL of them had been in on that Santa Christmas lying and I felt very betrayed.

The Santa lie was a fun joke to all of them, but it was a lie to me.

Then I was told about some miracle baby born in a manger and that one I knew to play along with that new lie so the Christmas presents and parties would keep on coming.

So the Santa lie showed me not to be fooled again with that Jesus story.

The Santa story is often the first violation of the children's innocent trust.
:duel:
 

JPC sr

James P. Cusick Sr.
The truth will set us all free.

Surely, after all that pain you endured, you would never betray the trust of someone in your family.

Oops, too late.
:diva: Well I do not deny that I have hurt others.

I certainly have caused pain and sorrows for others.

My point is that I repent and I regret doing such stuff and now I say we all need to see that lying to children is wrong.

The children do not really enjoy the Santa lie at all.

It is the adults that see it as fun to deceive those young innocent children.

The kids will have fun if we told them the gifts came from Ethiopia and the decorations come from Mars and the food was delivered by spirits.

Children believe the adults because they give trust so easily and with "Santa" that trust is unworthy.

Telling lies to children is a perverted fun for adults to feel superior, while every child is betrayed by the lies.
:duel:
 
K

Kain99

Guest
I was traumatized to learn that Santa was a lie...

BUT~ I couldn't take the magic away from my kids.

The pain was well worth the 9 years of "fairydust."

Hope my kids will feel the same.
 

meangirl

Nice lady!
I was traumatized to learn that Santa was a lie...

BUT~ I couldn't take the magic away from my kids.

The pain was well worth the 9 years of "fairydust."

Hope my kids will feel the same.

:yeahthat: My 10yr old still believes...or is at least unsure. :lol: I know next year will be the end of that. I'll truly miss it.
 

Dymphna

Loyalty, Friendship, Love
:diva: I do not remember the age I was - maybe 5 - 10 years old, but I do remember well the event of finding out that EVERYBODY that I knew and I had trusted had all - ALL of them had been in on that Santa Christmas lying and I felt very betrayed.

The Santa lie was a fun joke to all of them, but it was a lie to me.

Then I was told about some miracle baby born in a manger and that one I knew to play along with that new lie so the Christmas presents and parties would keep on coming.

So the Santa lie showed me not to be fooled again with that Jesus story.

The Santa story is often the first violation of the children's innocent trust.
:duel:
Oh please :rolleyes: spare me the :bs: Your traumatic childhood has nothing to do with the Santa "lie." But it may explain a few things. :whistle:

Santa is not a replacement for the Nativity story or vice-versa. All legends of Santa, of which there are several, start with the presumption that he came sometime after Christ and started his gift-giving career as a tribute to Christ, not as a replacement.

St. Nicholas is a religious figure who loved God, Jesus and children. In some stories, he gives gifts to children to honor the Christ Child, in some stories, he is send by Christ to bring joy to the children. Heck, even the Rankin-Bass cartoon says that he chooses to give gifts on Christmas day as a tribute to the gift God gave us in Jesus Christ.

Santa is NOT a contradiction to the Nativity story, but rather, a compliment to it.

Our perpetuation of the Santa myth is a tribute to the spirit of giving. A parent's giving to their children in the name of Santa is an example of unselfishness and demonstrates that giving without an expectation of recognition or gratitude can be rewarding.
 

Bird Dog

Bird Dog
PREMO Member
My children (all grown up, I think) say as long as he keeps giving they are going to continue to believe.
 
Top