What age did your kids stop believing in Santa?

[Mango7100]

My 9 year old is getting pretty suspicious of Santa. She doesn’t want to visit him this year but will write a letter “just in case” So this is for sure our last year—in our house Santa brings one present and a few small things, the rest are from family. We never did the whole using Santa to scare her into good behavior thing. So what age did your kids stop?

We don’t have an Elf on the Shelf either. He’s creepy and takes way too much effort

 

[emily nicole]

I believe my son was 8 when he found that darn Elf on the Shelf in a box in my closet during the summertime and that's how he figured the whole thing out. (In his defense, he wasn't snooping - I sent him into my closet to fetch some things I was selling at a garage sale).

 

[nw6675]

7 and yes, the Elf ruined it.

 

[Karin1984]

I think somewhere between 6 and 9. My brother (1 year older) started the conversation stating that the Easter Bunny isn't real, but Sinterklaas (Dutch version of St. Nic) is. At that moment our parents decided to burst the bubble and tell us that neither is real. As of 13-14 we were enlisted as 'helpers' and we had to get presents for each other and our parents.

 

[MamaBelle4]

DD14 is the only one who knows. I told her she gets to join in on the fun now. Santa is real, but he isn't a person - he represents the spirit of anonymous gift giving with no expectation of thanks or recognition and she gets to help get things and get excited about that now. She's so excited for this Christmas to help make the magic for her siblings.

DD11 is close but Santa is bringing her her unbelievable unattainable gift this year, so I think I'll get to play Santa one more Christmas for her.

 

[Mango7100]

DD14 is the only one who knows. I told her she gets to join in on the fun now. Santa is real, but he isn't a person - he represents the spirit of anonymous gift giving with no expectation of thanks or recognition and she gets to help get things and get excited about that now. She's so excited for this Christmas to help make the magic for her siblings.

DD11 is close but Santa is bringing her her unbelievable unattainable gift this year, so I think I'll get to play Santa one more Christmas for her.

Yes, I talked to DH that we are going to transition from Santa being a real person to being a symbol of giving. I like that idea!

It’s funny to hear her logically go through it all and point out what doesn’t make sense (aka everything), so I just sit there and just ask what she thinks and throw in a few “yeahs“ and “hmms”

 

[Mango7100]

I think somewhere between 6 and 9. My brother (1 year older) started the conversation stating that the Easter Bunny isn't real, but Sinterklaas (Dutch version of St. Nic) is. At that moment our parents decided to burst the bubble and tell us that neither is real. As of 13-14 we were enlisted as 'helpers' and we had to get presents for each other and our parents.

Funny thing is she lost a tooth 2 days ago and didn’t have the same questions about the tooth fairy…though she did tell us she thinks the tooth fairy just throws all the teeth in the dump because it’s gross to keep other peoples teeth

 

[MamaBelle4]

it’s gross to keep other peoples teeth

She's not wrong

 

[Mysterian]

Well, apparently I just found out NOW. Thanks, everyone.

 

[1420Elexismc]

7 or 8 I believe. I think he just mentioned it out loud to us last year at 9, but I think he hasn't believed in a couple of years and was just humoring my husband

 

[slo]

Suspicious around 9yrs old
Total admitting they don’t believe around 11yrs old

My DD19 still loves Santa coming on Christmas Eve - it’s so much easier now - I tell her to go in her room and close the door so Santa can come so I can go to bed - LOL!

 

[jdb in AZ]

Our son found out when he was six, when a kid across the street told him (that family celebrates a different holiday.) When our kids "confronted" us about not believing in Santa we told them fine, then they wouldn't get any presents. They quickly decided they were "believers."

 

[dez1978]

My oldest is 11 and he still believes. I know this bc he is a jerk and 100% ruin it for his younger brother if he knew he wasn't real. And the 8 year old would not be able to keep a secret and not tell me he knew.

Getting the elf is one of my biggest parenting regrets lol. I hate that dang thing. BUT for 25 days my kids jump right out of bed as soon as I wake them to go find it so theres that lol

 

[Kitty 34]

My oldest was 11
middle DS decided at 4 there was no way a big fat guy was going to fit down our chimney.....no matter what we told him but he kept quiet for his younger brother who was probably 7 or 8 when he stopped believing.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I don’t remember exactly, but I would guess around 8 or 9? With DS (now 25), I suspect he knew for quite some time but didn’t tell us. Every year, we would take him to see Santa at the mall, and we have photos from the age of one through 10. At age 10, he was indifferent about going, and we decided it would be the last year. To be honest, I’m glad the Elf on the Shelf wasn’t a thing back then.

 

[Ellie008]

older one figured it out for sure in 7th grade. younger one is in 7th now and I am pretty sure still believes.

They haven't been interested in visiting Santa at the mall for a while though, and haven't written letters in a couple of years either. Not sure how my younger one thinks it works.

I did not want the elf. My mom gifted him to us though, and the kids LOVE it. So I'm stuck with it.

 

[tvguy]

Not sure. Actually, I think my 31 year old still believes in Santa.

 

[BrianL]

You know, I don't know if I ever believed literally - I guess I did - but I STILL believe in Santa. He is my mom. He is my friend. He is all of us. When I see the spirit of spreading joy and wonder, that's where Santa is.

 

[robinb]

My DD never believed because we didn't do Santa at all.

 

[DLgal]

I don't know, but we still pretend. Kids are 16 and 18 (but also autistic). Our oldest son never really subscribed to the whole idea of Santa (he also figured out Mickey Mouse was a woman in a costume when he was like 2, so...)

Anyway, my younger son is very socially immature and naive and we really did think he still believed in Santa. However the other night we casually asked him "is Santa real"" and my son said "no", with a knowing tone. Shocked the heck out of me.