So, I've got a 7 year old who still doesn't know the truth about Santa (as far as I know) and I'm not sure when to tell her.

I'm wondering if any of you guys remember when you learned the truth about Santa? I'd rather be the one to tell her than for her to hear it at school and tell her younger sisters about it and ruin it for them before they are done knowing about Santa.

So, when did you learn the truth about Santa?

I don't really remember exactly how old I was when I found out, but I can say that I found out on my own. One year, before opening a gift from Santa, I recognized the handwriting on the present. My mother had very neat handwriting, and this time I happened to just recognize it. I remember just staring at it for like 5 minutes before I opened the gift. It was that year that I straight up asked my parents about the subject, and they told me the truth about Santa. I also remember my sister, whose 7 years older than me, was completely shocked about the whole thing.

I'm no parent and I honestly hope that I'm never one, but I say never tell your kids. Let them figure it out for themselves. I might be very wrong with my answer, but its just my opinion.

I was probably like 8 or 9, and I was like oh, ok.

If they are told, it's best to say it when they are young, and not on their own.

I have yet to meet someone where I live that believes/has believed in Santa. As far as I'm aware everyone buys each other their Christmas gifts, including children.

However we have a different figure called "Sinterklaas" who was one of the main sources for the current figure of Santa. It's essentially the same story with a few differences. An old man who delivers children presents made by his helpers in his factory, and punishes the children that have been naughty during the year.

Most children over here know the truth about Sinterklaas when they reach the age of 6 or 7. I found out myself around the age of 6 I believe when I pulled an all-nighter, pressed against the chimney in the hopes of hearing his helper enter our home to deliver the presents. You can imagine the disappointment on my face when I heard and saw my dad go downstairs with the presents in his hands.

I feel like it's best to tell her now rather than have her find out on her own/through her friends. 

I remember learning very accidentally at around six, as well. While I was gullible, I also always had trouble going to sleep, and at the time, we used to have stockings in our bedrooms. It seems my mom was a bit too quick to enter my room, and I was still wide awake. I was buried under the covers, but wide awake. I peeked out, though, and the analytical side of me just rang in my head going, "well, duh. What did you think happened, Santa stops time to bring everyone presents?" It wasn't really a shock since I was a pretty bright kid, especially in the ways of math, and I've had my doubts prior even to that night.

I don't believe my parents ever caught wind that I had completely found out, though, and kept the act going for a few more years with me. Not that I cared.

I don't understand....what is the truth about Santa?
Is he an alien or something? OOO! Please tell me that's it! That would be sooo cool. xD

Vanelan : I actually laughed out loud at your post.

You know, he might be an alien. I mean, how does he get around the world that fast if he isn't using a UFO or something?

I learned the truth about Santa when I was 11 or 12, but yeah, I learned from school and the Internet and all of that.

I feel like the ages of 9 or 10 is when you should tell your oldest daughter about Santa. 

But Santa is a real person, and he does sneak down your chimney. As creepy as it sounds.

But hey, who doesn't love free gifts. 

geeogree : That makes perfect sense. David Duchovny would be proud to know that. :3

And obviously he uses wormholes....that's how he can sneak in and out of houses, past security systems and such unnoticed. xD

This is going to be one of those "Simple question, complicated answer" post.

He did one time, but no longer alive, just guys dressed up today. I first known about it when I was 10 when I spotted my parents setting the presents at midnight (I remember I had to use the bathroom) and my parents told me the following day (December 26, 2003) that he's imaginary, I was like "so, my whole life was a lie?".
But when I got a little older, I looked it up for giggles, I seen he did. Santa was called Saint Nicholas, He was a Bishop of Myra who lived in the Roman Empire (present day Turkey) between 270-343 AD. What he does exactly is he secretly put currency in shoes for people that left them out. By this practice, people continue the tradition of secretly putting gifts under a Christmas tree and tell their kids that Santa dropped their toys for them.

So yeah, Santa did in fact exist one time, when you grow up and look at the world history and seen he was in fact alive at one point in history. Sadly, Santa isn't alive today, but parents tells their kids that Santa is immortal and will never die. The more you know.

IgorBird122 : You made your post into a history lesson.
Perhaps the better way of explaining why if a child sees their parents putting Christmas presents under a tree instead of a fat man dressed in red is to tell them that they are helping Santa since he is so busy. After all, he has to deliver all around the world.

Obviously death is a part of life and no one lives forever, but is that what you want to tell a child if they discover that Santa didn't put those gift under the tree?

To answer geeo's question seriously (only 3 posts later ), maybe you can tell your oldest about the real Saint Nicholas and how people today keep the tradition alive to honor him.

I believe it's not a good idea to teach your kids about Santa. Not only do I have many things against the holiday of Christmas itself, but. . . think about this. Especially if you're religious.

When you teach your children about Santa, make them think that he's real, and then you go off and start telling them about the Bible and such. What do you think they're going to do when they find out that Santa isn't real? Christmas is an extremely festive, and positive time in most children's mind. It leaves a 10x heavier impact on their minds than any church service, and if they find out that you lied to them about Santa?

What are they going to think about all those Bible stories you started telling them? Just something to ponder. As for me? I want my children to know that when I speak, I mostly give facts about life. Not fictoin. Unless, of course, I'm just teasing them in a playful manner. XP

Sword legion : I think you sort of missed the point - my kids already believe Santa is real. There isn't a way to undo that at this point.

And parents lie to their kids about all sorts of stuff until they are old enough to understand the reality of a situation.

Vanelan : yeah, I may have posted a little too much information

If any of you are a little too lazy for the long answer, here is the short answer.
Yes, he does.

IgorBird122 : I guess that will depend on how much they give in to peer pressure and how much they believe their parents.

Sword legion : If you want to make Christmas into a religious holiday with your children, then you have to explain/reinforce the religious aspects of it.

When I was young sad to say I did believe in Santa. I found out about the truth on my own as I grew into learning the truth to know if Santa was real or not. I then just forgotten about it and focused on other things to do with Christmas instead of that. I mean I was pretty upset when I learned the truth about it. And since then I don't really believe in Santa anymore. :/

I was too young to remember but I think it was around the time I couldn't even understand words so it didn't really matter. As far back as I can remember I've known about santa not existing.

Since yknow flying reindeer sounded incredibly far fetched and unlikely

But also my family stopped celebrating Christmas before I was born so Santa faded into oblivion before I could understand the concept of it.

If I could have changed that, I wouldn't I find the concept silly and I doubt I'll let my children believe in silly hoaxes like that. Maybe other things but not santa considering they'll probably assume "Well santa can't possibly know I've been bad and I deserve presents dammit and I'll have them or I'll stomp my feet"

Also taking into consideration financial issues, them having that idea could prove to be bad.

Long story short I never believed in it and I never will, and if I can, neither will my kids.

Ignorance of the problems in the world is okay for kids but I don't support things like santa or the tooth fairy. Just silly.

Vanelan : Worm holes are a stretch... I mean, it's hard to believe you could open up and travel through a rift in space without severe repercussions.... On the other hand, never being seen on camera and not being picked up on infrared sensors could be explained by either being a chameleon or vampirism.


geeogree : In all seriousness.... I have never believed in santa or magic or curses or jinxes, and while I was never raised to believe these things, it's of little consequence. My parents never told me of such things one way or the other. I had heard most of these stories from my friends and thought it was all ridiculous, even at the age of 6 or 7. I'm not going to run you down for lying to your kids because I wouldn't want you telling me how to raise mine if I had any. But I, unlike a lot of adults and middle aged people I know, remember what it was like to be a little kid, and I know that if my parents had lied to me frequently, I would not trust them near as much as I do. This is a whole lot more about trust than it is about santa. The best thing you can do is to sit down with all your kids at once, regardless of their age, and explain to them that it's just a story for little kids, and hence forth, instead of lying to them if it's something you feel they are not yet mature enough to comprehend, tell them that you will explain it to them at a later date when you decide they are ready. One thing to always bear in mind is that you should never underestimate a child's ability to understand something. I know that a lot of us, if they think hard enough, they remember what it's like for their parents to think very little of there ability to think.

I actually never believed in Santa, my parents were pretty truthful about the topic and never bothered convincing me that there was one.

Rasenganfan2 : I'm really curious as to when you stopped believing (or if you still do).

I stopped believing in Santa when I was about 4 years old, honestly.

Long story short, I was a smart kid, I was curious, and on Christmas Eve I decided to stake out Santa.

Turns out he looks a lot like my grandmother.